Full text of "The Pilgrim (1983) (Vol.30)"

THE PILGRIM

VOL- 30 JANUARY, 1983 NO. 1

'Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." / Peter 2:77

WHERE TO LOOK

I look not back — God knows the fruitless efforts,
The wasted hours, the sinning and regrets;
I leave them all with Him who blots the record,
And graciously forgives, and then forgets,

I look not forward — God sees all the future,
The road that, short or long, will lead me home;
And He will face with me its every trial,
And bear for me the burden that may come,

I look not around me — then would fears assail me,
So wild that tumult of life f s restless sea;
So dark the world, so filled with war and evil,
So vain the hope of comfort and of ease.

I look not inward — that would make me wretched
For I have nought on which to stay my trust.
Nothing I see but failures and shortcomings,
And weak endeavors crumbling into dust.

But I look up — up into the face of Jesus I
For there my heart can rest, my fears be stilled;
And there is joy, and love, and light for darkness,
And perfect peace, and every hope fulfilled.

Author unknown
Selected

THE PILGRIM is a religious magazine published in the interests of the members of the
Old Brethren Church. Subscription rate: $2.00 per year. Sample copies sent free on request.
Publishing Editor: Leslie Cover; Consulting Editor: Daniel F. Woff.

Address: THE PILGRIM, 19201 Cherokee Rd., Tuolumne, CA 95379

A Nm YEAR

"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing,
that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and
a thousand years as one day-

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as
some men count slackness; but is longsuf fering to us-
ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance.

"But the day of the Lord will come. . ." (II Peter
3:8-10)

Here is vital information for us as we see another
year open and untouched before us. Peter speaks of
the "day of the Lord," of His longsuf fering, and of
His concern for His creation. Peter uses vivid words
in this chapter to describe the attitude and ignorance
of the scoffers who doubt that the Lord will ever come,
or that things will ever change. "Where is the prom-
ise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep,
all things continue as they were from the beginning of
the creation."

Jesus had promised His disciples He would come a-
gain. The angel at His ascension had also said,
"„ . . this same Jesus, which is taken up from you in-
to heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have
seen him, go into heaven." (Acts 1:11) Jesus 1 disci-
ples may have expected Him to return in their own life-
times. Jesus had told them that no one would knox*
exactly when this would be. But by faith they be-
lieved Hfe would come, and so can we.

It is a natural tendency for us to believe that
things wkll always continue the same. Unless our ex-
perience's have prepared us for change, we naturally
expect the days and years to follow in an orderly
course. \ We know there will be gradual changes, but we
are not prepared for drastic upheavals like war and
natural ,disasters. And certainly we do not expect the

THE PILGRIM

complete changes spoken of by Peter in this chapter
unless we by faith believe the word as it is given*

With this same limitation, archaeologists and an-
thropologists study the evidence around them and de-
cide about times according to the present rate of de-
velopment. If they could, like some scientist be-
lievers, believe the record of creation and the flood,
their conclusions might be different.

Peter says, ".Be not ignorant of this one thing,
that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and
a thousand years as one day," The original seems to
say, "Let not this one thing be hidden from you. 1 * The
apostle wants us to understand that time is different
to God* If we could understand eternity, we could
probably understand better God's view of time. It
doesn't drag and it doesn't fly too fast for Him like
it does for us. His delay in coming, even though it '*be
nearly 2000 years now,is not evidence of slackness in
God as it might be in man* It is actually longsuffer-
ing. He doesn't want any to perish and He is giving
much time to allow us and others to make peace with
Him — to repent and believe on Jesus.

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in
the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away '
with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are
therein shall be burned up," May 1983 be a year of
preparation for each of us, May we know that the time
is short--that now., while Jesus tarries, is time to
call our friends and loved ones and any who will hear
to repent and believe the Gospel, "Wherefore, beloved,
seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that
ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and
blameless." (verse 14) --L,C.

Come to the Saviour now, He gently calleth thee;
In true repentance bow, Before Him bend the knee;
He waiteth to bestow Salvation, peace, and love,
True joy on earth below, A home in heaven above.

John M. Wigner (1871)

THE PILGRIM

GETTING ALONG TOGETHER

The thought of getting along together has pressed
upon me many times, and as I think upon this impor-
tant subject I feel unworthy to write, realizing all
my failures and shortcomings . But by the grace of
God, let us all open up our hearts to the will and
word of the Lord.

As we consider the love, longsuf fering, mercy, and
forgiveness of our Lord, it should melt our hearts,
especially if we have become His children and tasted
that the Lord is gracious. To pattern our lives af-
ter this beautiful example should be our goal.

One of the great teachings of the Bible is the new
commandment that Jesus gave, V. . . That ye love one
another; as I have loved you/ that ye also love one
another. By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another. 11 (John 13;
34 9 35)

But what a tragedy it is when men who profess to
know Christ can't get along! And how it hurts the
Chr istian witness, the Lord so much taught! Being
born again and becoming a new creation in Christ and
being filled with the Spirit surely must be the only
solution. The manifestation or fruit of the Spirit
as found in Galatians 5:22,23 is this:

Love--af faction, benevolence, charity, strong per-
sonal attachment;

Joy--cheerfulne^s, calm delight, gladness;

Peace —quietness, rest;

Longsuf fering - -enduring patiently, to bear;

Gent l<eness --exce Hence in character, softness of
manner , fcindne s s ;

Goodness-- virtue' or excellence or beneficence;

Faith - -persuasion, conviction, assurance, belief;

Meekness -- gentleness, humility, patience, long-
suf fering;

Temperance -- self control, calmness.

"And they that are Christ 1 s have crucified the
flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in
the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians

THE PILGRIM

5:24,25)

Selfishness and pride are probably the main factors
that cause problems. If we would forget more about
what we think we deserve or what we want for ourselves
and think more about how we could help someone else
or how we could give of ourselves for the cause of
Christ, we could live a much more fulfilled life,

I read an article awhile back on marriage which
really impressed me* The thought was from Ephesians
5 which gives a comparison between husbands and wives
and Christ and the church* The thought portrayed was
that Christ gave His all— 100%, not 50%— and the hus-
band should love his wife "even as Christ also loved
the church, and gave himself for it." (Ephesians 5:25)
Then "as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the
wives be to their own husbands in every thing." (Eph.
5:24) The article went on to say how beautiful God
intended for marriage to be if both husband and wife
would give their all for each other the way God has
designed. But the world is in a mess and will con-
tinue to get worse because mankind fails to yield to
the source of truth. "And because iniquity shall a-
bound, the love of many shall wax cold." (Matthew 24:
12)

The thinking of the world and carnal man is to do
how you feel — to live it up— to satisfy the carnal
appetite. But our blessed Lord and Saviour showed by
His life and teachings quite a reverse. He said, "My
meat is to do the will of my Father." If anyone de-
served the riches and luxuries of this world, Jesus
did, but His life was an example of self-denial.
When He died on the cross for you and me, do we think
He enjoyed it? NoJ He gave of Himself; He suffered
much for us.

If there are' differences of understanding about
God's will, we need to be patient and try to under-
stand each other. Our love needs to grow, not dimin-
ish. Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers and
the merciful." (Matthew 5:7,9) "Let nothing be done
through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind

THE PILGRIM

let each esteem other better than themselveso Look
not every man on his own things, but every man also on
the things of others* (Philippians 2:3,4) "A soft
answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up
anger." (Proverbs 15:1 )

Among carnal man the thought of correction is
grievous* But "Great peace have they which love thy
law; and nothing shall offend them*" (Psalm 119:165)
"For every one that doeth evil hateth the light,
neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved. But lie that doeth truth cometh to the light,
that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are
wrought in God." (John 3:20,21)

Consider how God loved the human race and sent
pro; i~cts in the olden times, then His Son, then the
apostles and church, to carry His message of love
that men might be saved. But to the largest extent,
mankind loves darkness rather than light, and the
faithful have suffered for the sake of truth. How
important obedience is to our Maker, for if "the
light that is in (us) be darkness, how great is that
darkness!" (Matthew 6:23) We bring shame to our
Saviour and cast a stumbling block to our fellow man
when we disobey Him.

In conclusion we offer this poem, written by
Strickland W, Qillilan, which portrays taking heed to
ourselves:

Just stand aside, and watch yourself go by;
Think of yourself as "he" instead of "I";
Pick flaws, find fault, forget the man is you,
And strive to make your estimate ring true.
The faults of others then will dwarf and shrink;
Love's chain grow stronger by one mighty link
When you as "be", as substitute for "I",
Have scood aside and watched yourself go by.

In Christian love,

Kenneth Garber
Hughson, California

THE PILGRIM

DISAPPOINTMENT— HIS APPOINTMENT

"Disappointment— His appointment ; u
Change one letter, then I see
That the thwarting of my purpose
Is God's better choice for me.
His appointment must be blessing,
Though it may come in disguise,
For the end from the beginning
Open to His wisdom lies,

"Disappointment — His appointment * n
Whose? The Lord, Who loves me best,
Understands and knows me fully,
Who my faith and love would test;
For, like loving earthly parent,
He rejoices when He knows
That His child accepts, unquestioned,
All that from His wisdom flows,

"Disappointment— His appointment; "
"No good thing will He withhold,"
From denials oft we gather
Treasures of His love untold.
Well He knows each broken purpose
Leads to fuller, deeper trust;
And the end of all His dealings
Proves our God is wise and just.

"Disappointment— His appointment *»
Lord, I take it, then, as such,
Like the clay in hands of potter
Yielding wholly to Thy touch.
All my life's plan is Thy. moulding,
Not one single choice be mine,
Let me answer, unrepining—
"Father, not my will, but Thine."

By Edith Lillian Young

"In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the
day of adversity consider: God also has set the one
over against the other, to the end that man should

8 THE PILGRIM

find nothing after him." (Ecclesiastes 7:14) God
gives prosperity, and God gives adversity so that
everyone should realize nothing is certain in this
life* God will be with us through all if we can put
our trust in Him that we might have a lively hope
through Jesus .

The children of Israel were promised prosperity if
they would obey* They were promised the land of
Canaan, a nation of their own, but through their dis-
obedience to the laws Moses gave them they were driven
from that nation and scattered among all nations, los-
ing their prosperity*

Then Jesus, God* s Son, was born of the line of
Judah to redeem man, but Israel, His own, rejected
Him. He suffered ad^/ersity while here in the world
even though He was sinless » Neither are we free from
adversity. Through faith and hope we can rise above
adversi ty«

Adversity can help bring out in us right thinking
and right actions ■ Adversity can be an instructor
over us set by Hkn Who knows us better than we know
ourselves* He loves all of us and strengthens us
through the Holy Spirit Whom He sent to guide be-
lievers*

The virtue of prosperity is temperance; the virtue
of adversity is fortitude (patient endurance)* Pros-
perity was a blessing of the Old Covenant; adversity
is a blessing of the New Covenant. Adversity under
the New Covenant carries a greater blessing and a
clearer revelation of God's favor than prosperity
carried under the Old Covenant, Prosperity is not
without many fears and distastes; adversity is not
without dom£ ort and hope.

Our prayer is that each one of us might increase
our capacity ;for greater humility to think upon God's
power &nd rely on His mercy in the adversities of
life £>n our jburney to receive the prize of the high
calling in Christ Jesus and run with patience the
races before us in the fear of God.

/ --Mary Ellen Lavy

| Camden, Indiana

THE PILGRIM

THE INFINITE AND THE FINITE!

Did TIME begin? And if so, when?
Does TIME have beginning or end?
ETERNITY! How can it be?
Oh! Shall we ever comprehend?

The mortal mind will never find
Any answer to this question;
For man's brain does not contain
The power for its digestion!

Where does SPACE start? And where depart?
Does SPACE have beginning or end?
Endless or not? Oh! What a thought!
Oh! Shall we ever comprehend?

The mortal mind will never find
Any answer to this question;
For man's brain does not contain
The power for its digestion!

What of MATTER? Our thoughts scatter!
Does it have beginning or end?
How could it start? Or how depart?
Oh! Shall we ever comprehend?

The mortal mind will never find
Any answer to this question;
For man's brain does not contain
The power for its digestion!

How can God be? And Who is He?
Does God have beginning or end?
We cannot see! How God can be!
Oh! Shall we ever comprehend?

The mortal mind will never find
Any answer to this question;
For man's brain does not contain
The power for its digestion!

The things we see, we know to be;
Because we think, we know we are-

10 THE PILGRIM

But how? To find with human mind
Is a problem too great by far!

We are finite, and we need light
The infinite to understand!
We can't conceive, but we believe
God is! And we are in His hand!

--Hollis Flora
Greenville, Ohio

THE ONLY CONNECTION
BETWEEN EARTH AND HEAVEN

Christ is the only connection between heaven and
earth--aetween God and man. His divinity connects Him
with Godj His humanity connects Him with man. In Him
God and man meet, and in Him at~one-ment is made* He
is the perfect mediator. To take away either His di-
vinity or His humanity would be to destroy His perfect
mediation.

To illustrate in another way: Christ is the ladder
set up on earth, the* top of which reaches to heaven.
That ladder Jacob saw: "And he dreamed, and behold a
ladder set up on the earth, and the top cf it reached
to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and
descending on it*" (Genesis 28:12) Jesus claimed to
be this ladder* In His conversation with Nathaniel,
He said£ "Verily , verily, I say unto you, Hereafter
ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God as-
cending and descending upon the Son of man." (John 1:
51)

Now, let either the top or the bottom of the ladder
be cut off, and the effect is the same: the ladder
then does not connect earth with heaven. To deny the
d$ity of Christ, which is done in denying the virgin
birth, is to cut off the top of the ladder. To deny
the humanity of Christ is to cut off the bottom of the
ladder; oTie is not worse than the other. Both are
wrong; both take away the Christ of the Bible — the
Saviour o f men.

The Bi ble clearly teaches that Christ was truly

THE PILGRIM |i

human, that He partook of human nature as it now is*
Isaiah, predicting the coming of the Christ, gives us
His name, Immanuel, "God with us," (Isaiah 7:14)

Sin made a separation between God and man, between
God and us. God wanted that gulf bridged, Man could
not bridge it alone, so God bridged it. God was with
Christ from the very beginning, Christ did not need
to come into this world in order for God to be with
Him but because God wanted to be with men. He was
not satisfied that men should be separated from Him
so Christ became "us" in order that God, through Him,
might be with us. Blessed be His name!

It was unto us that a child was born, and it was
unto us that a Son was given in the prophecy of Christ
as recorded in Isaiah 9:6,7, He was given to us even
as we are in sin. The Word was made flesh.

John writes that the Word, which was in the be-
ginning with God, and which was God, "was made flesh,
and dwelt among men." (John 1:1-14)

By Jesse Rutherford
Selected by Susie Sell

Thou great First Cause, least understood,

In every clime adored;
We all know this — that Thou art good,

The universal Lord I

If I am right, Thy grace impart

Still in the right to stay;
If I am wrong, teach my heart

To find that better way.

Teach me to feel another 1 s woe,

To hide the fault I see;
That mercy I to others show;

That mercy show to me.

Selected by Bertie Baker

J2 IMiL pilgrim

HISTORICAL

HISTORY OF THE BIBLE

JOSHUA

The book of Joshua was at one time grouped with the
five books of Moses under the heading "Hexateuch". It
contains the history of Israel under the leadership of
Joshua.

Joshua was chosen by God to be Moses 1 successor.
When Moses knew he was to die, he evidently designated
his helper Joshua to fill his place. Deuteronomy 34;
9: "And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit
of wisdoms for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and
the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as
the Lord commanded Moses." After that, God called
Joshua personally. The first two verses of this book
read, "Now after the death of Moses the servant of the
Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua
the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my ser-
vant is deadj now therefore arise, go over this Jordan,
thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do
give to them, even to the children of Israel." Among
other charges and assuring promises the Lord told him,
". . . as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I
will not fail thae, nor forsake thee." (Joshua 1:5)

This book .records the conquest of Canaan and the
distribution ipf the land among the tribes of Israel.
It is not a record of laws and statutes but a narra-
tion of events of history and a record of tribaL
boundaries.

Who wrote the book of Joshua? Some say Joshua
himself wirote it. .One opinion is that Phinehas the
priest compiled 'it from Joshua 1 s notes and records.
Others say } that it is the work of several authors,
some of thein perhaps assembling and commenting on
former records. Joshua 8:28 might support this view,
Joshua did j Record a renewal of the covenant with God
which the people made shortly before Joshua's death.
Joshua 24:23*26 reads, "So Joshua made a covenant
with the people that day, and set them a statute and

THE PILGRIM 13

an ordinance in Shechem, And Joshua wrote these words
in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone,
and set it up there under an oak, that was by the
sanctuary of the Lord*"

The period covered by this book or by the leader-
ship of Joshua is said to be about 25 years or perhaps
1380-1355 BeC, Joshua died at 110 years of age
(Joshua 24:29) so he was about 85 when he began the
conquest of Canaan, --L«Co

Information sources: Encyclopedia Britannica ;
Halley' s Bible Handbook; Matthew Henry's Commentary

100 YEARS AGO
/■'
This letter appeared in the correspondence section
of the March, 1883 Vindicator ,

Dear Brother Kinsey: We are here in the far West,
entirely isolated from any organized church or old
order members, which is very discouraging. But then
we call to mind the words of our blessed Lord and
Savior, where he said*, "Wheresoever two or three are
gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
This encouragement, together with the good admonitions
and counsels the Vindicator brings to us, we are again
encouraged to try by the comforting influence of the
Holy Spirit and the prayers of our beloved brethren
and sisters to go on, ever pressing forward toward the
mark for the prize of the high calling of God, in
Christ Jesus* <

Douglas County is the nearest point we know of
where there are any old order members, and that is
some thirty or forty miles from here. As soon as we
get settled a little, we will try and ascertain the
nearest point to an organized church and try to have
the brethren come in and hold some meetings for us,
I believe, from what little observation we have had,
that there could good be done by the brethren coming
in and preaching to the people here, There are dif-
ferent other denominations here with good large
meeting houses.

14 THE PILGRIM

We have here a very good country • The soil gen-
erally is very good and adapted to all kinds of farm
products.

Yours in brotherly love,

Elias Graybill
Holton, Kansas

--Selected by John Schonwald

NOTE OF THANKS

We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation
to ail of you for your support and generosity since
our accident • Your cards, letters, prayers and finan-
cial gifts have been a blessing words cannot describe.
It has opened a new dimension of understanding and
appreciation for Christian brethren and friends, even
though we have always counted it a great blessing to
be a part of the Christian community. May the Lord
bless you all richly and may we all be brought closer
and closer in the ties of Christian love and affec-
tion*

— Melvin and Marilyn Coning
and family

FORGIVENESS

When at Thy footstool, Lord, I bend
And plead with Thee for mercy there,
Think of the sinner* s dying Friend,
A$d for His. sake receive my prayer I

Oh, think not of my shame and guilty
My thousand stains of deepest dye I,
Think of the blood which Jesus spilt,
And let that blood my pardon buy!

— Henry -Francis Lyte
Selected by Susie Wagner

THE PILGRIM 15

ANNUAL MEETING AND COMMUNION NOTICES

We, the members of the eastern district of the Old
Brethren, have appointed a Love feast and Communion for
April 30 and May 1 at the Wakarusa meeting house. The
Lord willing, we are looking forward to -a time, of sweet
fellowship and feeding upon His Word.- A hearty invita-
tion is extended to all of our brethren, sisters, -and

friends. : ■ ■

— Melvin Coning

The Annual Meeting of the Old Brethren Church will
be held, the Lord willing, on May 20, 21, & 22/ at the
Salida, California, meeting house. Friday will be .-
council day; on Saturday and Sunday (Penteco'st), there
will be public- preaching; and- on Saturday- evening, -the
Communion service. .A hearty invitation and welcome
is extended to all our members and friends to attend.

— Joseph L. Cover

BIRTHS /. ..' .

ROYER - A daughter, Joy Christine, born December 31 to
Joe and Elisabeth Royer of Nappanee, Indiana. ;

ROYER - A son, Bradley Jay, born January 9 to Paul and
Rose Royer of Goshen, Indiana.

MOORE - A daughter, Deborah Michelle, born January 10
to Hubert and Dorothy Moore of Hughson, California.

MARRIAGE

¥AGNER— FLORA: Lloyd Wagner and Beth Flora were
married December 24 at Bradford, Ohio.

NEW ADDRESS: Lloyd Wagner 922 Tally Rd.

Modesto, Calif. 95350
(209) 521-6375

16 CHILDREN'S PAGE

"Lessons From Nature" Series
THE ARCHER FISH

A strange fish swims to the surface near an island
in the southwest Pacific Ocean, It sees an insect sit-
ting on a leaf about seven feet above the water,

Pf-f-ft! The fish "spits" high-powered drops of
water through the air. Hitting the insect squarely,
they knock it into the sea, where the archer fish is
waiting to enjoy its meal.

Scientists puzzle how this odd fish can be almost
100% accurate at distances up to four feet and can
occasionally propel water even twelve feet. They have
learned that the special fish has a narrow groove in
the roof of Its mouth and can lift its tongue up to
make a tube for shooting its watery bullets.

But when the eight-inch-long fish puts its lips out
of the water and shoots, its eyes are still underwater.
Somehow it must allow for "refraction". The light
rays are bent as they pass from water to air, and
things seen underwater are not really where they ap-
pear to be. The archer fish, of course, knows nothing
about refraction; he just does what God created him to
do and does it amazingly well.

Like the archer fish, we have been created by God
to aim at /some things that we cannot clearly see or
easily understand. By faith we look up at an invis-
ible God knd reach up for the hand of One Who cannot
be touchejel. Our sight is often refracted by the ef-
fects of sin, but we ask, we seek, we aim, and we re-
ceive the t blessing. Our faith can be almost 100% ac-
curate asj we believe the teachings of God and humbly
obey themj. What a privilege. And what a Designer is
ours! / — Stanley K. Brubaker

NON-PROFIT ORG.-BULK RATE-U.S. POSTAGE PAID-PERMIT #10

THE PILGRIM Sonora, Calif,

19201 Cherokee Ed.
Tuolumne, Calif, \
95379

THE PILGRIM

VOL. _30 FEBRUARY, 1983 NO.

'Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." / Peter 2:ii

TEACH ME THY TRUTH

Teach me Thy truth, mighty One;

From sin make me freej
Prepare my life to fill its place

In service, Lord, for Thee.

Accept my talents, great or small,
Choose Thou the path for me,

Where I shall labor joyously
In service, Lord, for Thee,

Help me to show Thy glorious way
That leads in hope to Thee,

Till other souls their .joy shall find
In service, Lord, for Thee.

Grant me Thy grace for every task

Until Thy face I see,
Then ever- new shall be that joy

In service, Lord, for Thee.

— Edith Witmer

Address: THE PILGRIM, 19201 Cherokee Rd., Tuolumne, CA 95379

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

On July 13, 1982, in Koochiching Gounty, Minnesota,
the parents of the pupils in two Mennonite Christian
schools were tried on charges of truancy. The teach-
ers in these schools were not certified for the State
of Minnesota and did not have the required degrees or
education to become certified,, These parents appeared
without lawyers but represented themselves in the
court.

In a decision on this case dated September 15, 198%
Judge Peter N. Hemstad gave his verdict of "Not
guilty" for all these defendants. We quote here
parts of his memorandum on the case:

"All of the defendants in these cases are of the
Mennonite faith. They are all good solid citizens
and valuable members of this community . . . Their en-
tire defense was one of a religious nature. They
wished to educate their children in their own way as
they see fit so that their children will become self-
reliant, self-sufficient, productive members of the
Mennonite community and thus also of our State and
Nation. One of the important parts of their faith is
not to adopt worldly ways but to keep as best they
can the religious and social customs and habits of
their predecessors in faith. . . They demonstrated to
the court that all of their students have scored well
on the California Achievement Tests, indicating that
their children are in fact being educated. . . The
State of Minnesota requires . . . that the curriculum
and teachers must meet certain minimum standards to
qualify as a school. Clearly, the Mennonite schools
and teachers fail to qualify. That, however, does
not mean they fail to educate. . .

"As an additional aside, the court might add that
it has yet to see any of the children in question in

THE PILGRIM

juvenile court nor have any of the defendants, to the
best of the court's recollection, appeared in any
division of the County Court other than for the
immediate cases* . ." (From C.L.E. Lightlines)

These words of praise and more come from the
Minnesota judge. We might speculate about what his
verdict would have been if these children had been
delinquent, if the parents had been in court before
on other charges, if the teachers had not been teach-
ing their pupils. , *

The lesson is clear to us, We need to be diligent-
and faithfully going about our business. Failure in
one area can spoil our record and our testimony in
another. And on the other hand, a record of consis-
tent Christian practice is a good recommendation in
any situation we or our children might come to.

It could be that we will face less fair treatment
than these Minnesota people faced. Christians in the
past have come through deep water and severe trials
by fire. But the need for consistency and faithful-
ness is still the same. In fact, it becomes even
more important if we should face injustice. Now, in
our time of freedom, is the opportunity for us to set
those records and establish that untarnished reputa-
tion. By the help of God we can fill our places and
do our jobs. Our children can be ordered in such a
way that they will never need to regret their conduct.
May we not, by our words or actions, bring reproach
upon the name of our Lord and Saviour, but may we
shine as lights in a world of darkness.

Some of Paul's advice in Romans 12 fits our time
so well: "Be kindly affectioned one to another with
brotherly love; in Jionour preferring one another; Not
slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the
Lord. . . Recompense to no man evil for evil. Pro-
vide things honest in the sight of all men, . . Be
not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

--L.C.

What I know about God encourages me to trust Him in
all I do not know, — Selected

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HEART SEARCH IN GS FOR PURITY

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see
God." (Matthew 5:8)

The word "pure" in its absolute sense can apply
only to God. (Revelation 15:3-4) When it is applied
to man it pre-supposes man's utmost efforts to erad-
icate all negative factors that would tarnish, stain,
corrupt, defile, or blemish the soul. As used in the
New Testament, it applies to heart and mind. Titus
1:15: "Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto
theui that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure;
but even their mind and conscience is defiled*"

Ksro it speaks of a singleness in purpose of heart,
mind, and conscience. Jesus' words in Matthew 6:22-23
are very instructive: "The light of the body is the
eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body
shall be full cf light. But if thine eye be evil, thy
whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore
the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is
that darkness! "

The word "pure" ever speaks of a standard of per-
fection. Today, man is using all his ingenuity to
produce something that will stand the test for purity.
In this world of adulterations, pure food laws have
become a necessity. The search for higher standards
goes on and on. Pure air and pure water are becoming
great problems for 'the next generation. Accepted
standards of sanitation usually fall far short of
purity. \

Is God interested in human purity? I believe He is
infinitely interested in each factor of our being. We
have received and are continually receiving from Him
all we have and all we are. His bountiful mercies are
renewed to us from day to day. But the all-seeing eye
of God ta-xes full notice of the heart. He has great
blessings for the "pure in heart" „

The Christian Gospel message is pure. It is ever
a message to the heart. Long ago came a Holy Spirit-
directed call to the vast hordes of earth's dwellers.

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Proverbs 4:23: "Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life* 11

But a stunning truth strikes the heart when exposed
to the pure light of God's Word* "The heart is de-
ceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who
can know it? 11 (Jeremiah 17:9)

Though innocent at birth, the normal child soon
knows the waywardness of the fallen nature within.
Only God can cleanse and purify the sin-natured heart
of man* In great compassionate love, He sent His Son
with pure words of life* The Son Jesus lived with a
pure heart, ever seeking the Father's Will and glory.
Then He gave His pure life's blood to atone for man's
sin. He arose from the grave in a pure spiritual body
to His Father in Heaven, He fulfilled the Truth of
His own words, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for
they shall see God*"

Born again from above by God's Word and His Holy
Spirit, the Christian has the pure light of God's
Truth upon his pathway. Cleansed from sin, the re-
newed heart and mind are now filled with love for God
and man. The soul has now a living contact with its
loving Creator and Redeemer, The heart and mind are
now blessed with understanding. We now know something
of the great compassionate love of God in His Son, We
feel the warm tug of His pure love toward the brethren
and sisters in Christ, I John 3:14 gives the heart
assurance to endeavor in faithful obedience: "We know
we have passed from death unto life, because we love
the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth
in death."

The heart that seeks a borderline purity is giving
an invitation to Satan, This heart is impure in its
God-love, hoping somehow to give some love and time to
worldly attractions, Jesus drew a heavy line here in
words of warning, Matthew 6:24: "No man can serve
two masters: for either he will hate the one, and
love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and
despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon,"
A continual heart searching is indicated here.

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God's tried saints have always taken time for heart
searching* The Apostle Peter was greatly concerned
for the scattered brethren under his ministry* "See-
ing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth
through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren,
see that ye love one another with a pure heart fer-
vently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth
and abideth for ever," (I Peter 1:22,23)

The start of the born-again life is the pure word
of God, activated by the Koly Spirit of God* One must
believe and receive this new life from above* On
God's part it is an act of His great love to us* As
newborn babes, we rest in His love and desire to be
fed with the milk of the word* Our hearts and minds
are lifted to Him in praise and prayer* His word and
Holy Spirit point to the path of obedience* The Holy
Spirit imparts to us Spirit gifts to be used in our
field of labor for Him*

Will the pure in heart see God in this life? We
have two apostolic declarations that will hold us on
our course concerning the matter of seeing God*

John 1:18; "No man hath seen God at any time; the
only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father,
he hath declared him fl "

Paul, who had abundant revelations bordering on the
unspeakable and unlawful for man to utter (II Corin-
thians 12:1-4), gives us this in I Timothy 6:16, in
speaking of the immortal King of Kings and Lord of
Lords? Jesus Christ: "Who only hath immortality,
dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto;
whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour
and power everlasting* Amen*"

There is a certain radiance of glory for the
"seeker" in God's word when the Holy Spirit illumi-
nates the text to our understanding. New and delight-
ful vistas of God's glory open up for the soul's
benefit* The heart and mind become further instructed
and conscious of the infinite greatness of our God*
Our God is infinitely greater than our fondest imag-

IHE PILGRIM

i nations of Him

The "single eye" now looks above where "the heavens
declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth
his handiwork*"

The Bible account of creation is inseparable from
the gospel of salvation through Christ: "All things
were made by him; and without him was not any thing
made that was made," His glory is declared by His
creation* We "were made in His likeness," To be-
lievers, the Holy Spirit brings a sense of this glory
of Godc It can be seen today in things infinitely
great and infinitely small. This sense of glory grows
on us as we thankfully enumerate His great goodnesses
to us and praise Him for them.

A work of divine grace is now being accomplished
in the soul, as Paul tells his Corinthian brethren in
II Corinthians 3:17-18; "Now the Lord is that Spirit:
and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the
glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the
Lord." --James D. Cover

Modesto, California

ONE GOD

"Hear, Israelr The Lord our God is one Lord."
(Deuteronomy 6:4 5 Mark 12:29'

"Oh Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest be-
tween the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone,
of all the kingdoms 'of the earth: thou hast made
heaven and earth," (Isaiah 37:16)

"For there are three that bear record in heaven,
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost (or Holy
Spirit ;: and these three are one," (I John 5:7)
These three are one God. "God is a Spirit." (John 4:24)

c - esus S aid, "I_g^oceeded fo rth and came fro m God ;
neither came I of myself , but he sent me/" (John 8:42)
"Ani the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy

THE PILGRIM

Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the High-
est shall overshadow thee: therefore also that- holy
thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the
Son of God." (Luke 1:35) n But when the Comforter is
come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even
the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father ,
he shall testify of me. n (John 15:261 Both proceeded
from the one God, the same Spirit.

God manifested Himself through His creation, "The
heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmajnent
sheweth his handywork." (Psalms 19:1) " . • .God,. .made
heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that
are therein*. •He did good, .and gave us rain from
heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with
food and gladness ," (Acts 14:15,17)

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God.' 1 (John 1:1) Our words
are a part of ourselves — what we are, what w r e think,
God's Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we
beheld His glory, (John 1:14) "And without contro-
versy great is the mystery of godliness: God was
manifest in the flesh... 11 (I Timothy 3:16) God is
love. (I John 4:8-16) Jesus came to show us the
Father and to show His love toward us that we might
have salvation.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but hgtve everlasting life." (John 3?l6)
11 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every-
one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may
have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at
the last day. 1 ' (John 6:40)

11 Jesus answered *( the Jews) and said, My doctrine
is not mine, but His that sent me. M (John 7:lo)
"I and my Father are one," (John 10:30); the same
Spirit. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit proceeded
from God, This, too, is the same Spirit, the one Sod.

While Jesus was here, the disciples could see the
Spirit working through Jesus, but they did not have
the indwelling Spirit within them. Jesus said, "It

THE PILGRIM 9

is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not
away j the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I
depart, I will send him unto you," (John 16:7) "Even
the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye
know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in
you." (John 14:17)

The Holy Spirit T s work Is to guide Into all truth.
He does not speak of himself; what he hears, he speaks,
^ e hear s, he speaks , he teaches and guides into all
truth. He glorifies Jesus. (John 16:13,14) Jesus
g-lorifies the Father. (John 17:4)

The promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled on the
day of Pentecosto The Holy Spirit is now given to all
who believe and obey Him. Jesus prayed, "That they
all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in
thee, that they also may be one in us..." (John 17:21)

"So we, being many, are one body in Christ..."
(Romans 12:5) "For we being many are one bread, and
one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread*"
(Christ) (I Corinthians 10:17) "Know ye not that ye
are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you?" (i Corinthians 3:16) "...The love
of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost
which is given unto us." (Romans 5:5)

One God is manifest through the Word that became
flesh and divelt among us and through His body (the
Church) by the Holy Spirit whom Jesus sent and who
proceeded from the Father.

These three are one; the same Spirit; one God.

— Susie Sell
Bradford, Ohio

Consider him a friend who rebukes you privately.
It is a pitiful state of affairs indeed, for a man to
have no one who dares to correct him when he has need
of it, For such a man is likely to think he makes no
mistakes if he receives; no reproof, and will live on
in error to his own destruction. Selected

10 THE PILGRIM

PRAYER

OhL the blessedness of fellowship,
Times of joy we hold so dear;
Oh! the blessed privilege to worship
With friends both far and near.
But the sweetest joy comes to me
Meeting Jesus on bended knee.

Here His strength He makes me feel
When in weakness to Him I cling.
His very presence is so real,
Seems I can hear heavenly voices sing.
Oh yes, the sweetest joy comes to me
Meeting Jesus on bended knee.

New friends I love to meet

In this world as I travel through;

Old friends I love to greet:

I love to hear their voices anew*

Still the sweetest joy comes to me

Meeting Jesus on bended knee.

Oh I tell Him of my trials,

Tell Him when my faith grows weak,

Tell Him of my friends across the miles,

Pray Him the,ir every need to meet.

Oh I the joy. that comes to me

Meeting Jesus on bended knee.

Yes, I hear Him sweetly say,

"Your earthly path I ! ve traveled on.

You can trust me day by day.

The victory I've already won. tf

So peace comes stealing over me

Meeting Jesus on bended knee.

\ — June Fountain

Auburn, California

THE PILGRIM 11

READ THE BIBLE THROUGH

I supposed I knew the Bible ,

Reading piece-meal, hit or miss;

Now a bit of John or Matthew,

Now a snatch of Genesis,

Certain chapters of Isaiah,

Certain Psalms, the twenty- third,

Twelfth of Romans, first of Proverbs;

Yes, I thought I knew the Word.

But I found a thorough reading

Was a different thing to do,

And the way was unfamiliar

When I read the Bible through.

Ye who treat the Crown of Writings

As you treat no other book —

Just a paragraph disjointed;

Just a crude, impatient look —

Try a worthier procedure;

Try a broad and steady view;

You will kneel in very rapture

When you read the Bible through.

By Amos R. Wells

Selected by Mary Ellen Lavy

I KNOW NOT WHY

I know not why His hand is laid
In chastening on my life,

Nor why it is my little world
Is filled so full of strife.

I know not why, when faith looks up
And seeks for rest from pain,

That o'er my sky fresh clouds arise
And drench my path with rain.

I knoiv not why my prayers so long
By Him have been denied;

12 THE PILGRIM

Nor why, while others 1 ships sail on,
Mine should in port abide*

But I do know that God is love,

That He my burden shares,
And though I may not understand,

I know, for me, He cares.

By Grace Troy

Selected by Leona Miller

THERE ALWAYS WILL BE GOD

They cannot shell His temple,
Nor dynamite His throne;
They cannot bomb His city,
Nor rob Him of His own.

They cannot take Him captive,
Nor strike Him deaf and blind,
Nor starve Him to surrender,
Nor make Him change His mind.

They cannot cause Him panic,
Nor cut off His supplies;
They cannot take His Kingdom,
Nor hurt Him with their lies.

Though all the world be shattered,
His truth remains the same;
His righteous laws still potent,
And "Father" still His name.

Though we face war and struggle,
And feel their goad and rod,
We know, above confusion,
There always will be God,

By Dr. Albert Leonard Murray
Selected by Carol Boone

THE PILGRIM 13

HISTORICAL

HISTORY OF THE BIBLE

JUDGES

The book of Judges is named for the leaders of
Israel for that period,, They were judges — not kings*
Some of these judges seem to have had wide influence
in the nation; others were more concerned with the
problems in their immediate vicinities or tribeso
They all were raised up to lead their people against
oppressors who overcame them because of their sins
and forsaking of the Lordo God sent neighboring na-
tions to oppress them until they cried to Him; then
He would raise up a deliverer (a judge) who would
throw off the yoke of the oppressor, and the land
would have a period of peace,.

The book covers a period of approximately 300 years
(about 1400-1100 BpCo) between Joshua's conquest of
Canaan and the time of Samuel and the kings *

Twelve of these judges are named, and we give them
here with the names of their tribes and the time they
served: Othniel of Judah (40 years); Ehud of Benjamin
(80 years); Deborah and Barak of Naphtali (40 years);
Gideon of Manasseh (40 years); Abimelech, Gideon's
son (3 years); Tola of Issachar (23 years); Jair of
Manasseh (22 years); Jephthah of Manasseh (6 years);
Ibzan of Judah (7 years); Elon of Zebulon (10 years);
Abdon of Ephraim (8 years); Samson of Dan (20 years).

It is not certain iN-ho the author of the book was,
but some think it was Samuel Others think it was a
compilation of various editors from older documents
and items such as the song of Deborah and Barak in
chapter 5. The book of Judges records and describes
the important period of Israel's history in Canaan
when God was their only kingo This book tells vividly
how God led them and consistently rewarded them with
peace when they were faithful and trusting, and how
He let them fall under the rule of their enemies when
they forsook Him and served idols* — L.Co

14 THE PILGRIM

100 YEARS AGO j

This article, written by a Mr. Ta Image, was taken
from the October, 1883 Vindicator *

HE DRINKS /

Tell me a young man drinks, and I know all the
rest. Let him become captive of the ^inecup and he
is the captive of all other vices* N6 man ever runs
drunkenness alone. That is one of th$ carrion crows
that goes in a flock. If that beak i$ ahead, you may
know the other beaks followo In other words, strong
drink unbalances and dethrones, and makes him the prey
of all the appetites that choose to alight upon his
soul* There is not a piece of sin upon this continent
but finds its chief abettor in the places of inebriety.
There is a drinking-place before it, or behind it, or
a bar over it, or a bar under it. The officer said
to me that night, "You see how they escape legal
penalty; they are licensed to sell liquor. " Then I
thought within myself, the court which licenses the
sale of intoxicating liquors, licenses gaming houses,
licenses libertinism, licenses disease, licenses
death, all crimes, all sufferings, all disasters, all
woes. It is the legislature and courts, who swing
wide open this grinding, roaring, stupendous gate of
the lost. . .-Selected by John Schonwald

How lovely are the faces of

The men that walk with God;
.Lit with an inner sureness of
/ The path their feet have trod.
How gentle is the manner of

A man who walks with Him;
No strength can overcome him^ and

No cloud his courage dim.
Keen are the hands and feet, oh yes^

Of those who wait His will,
And clear as crystal mirrors are

The hearts His love can fill.
Selected

THE PILGRIM 15

ANNUAL MEETING AND COMMUNION NOTICES

We, the members of the eastern district of the Old
Brethren, have appointed a Love feast and Communion for
April 30 and May 1 at the Wakarusa meeting house. The
Lord willing, we are looking forward to a time of sweet
fellowship and feeding upon His Word. A hearty invita-
tion is extended to all of our brethren, sisters, and
friends .

— Melvin Coning

The Annual Meeting of the Old Brethren Church will
be held, the Lord, willing, on May 20, 21, and 22 at
the Salida, California, meeting house. Friday will
be council day; on Saturday and Sunday (Pentecost),
there will be public preaching; and on Saturday even-
ing, the Communion service. A hearty invitation and
welcome is extended to all our members and friends to
attend.

— Joseph L. Cover

BAPTISM .

We, the members at Rio Verde, Goias, Brazil, S.A.,
were made to rejoice when Claudio Gomes Pimentel re-
quested Christian baptism. Upon a public confession
of faith in Jesus Christ, he was baptized on February
6. May he be faithful and helpful in the Kingdom of
God.

— Wade Flora

Our new brother 1 s address s

Claudio Gomes Pimentel

C.P/ 130 Rio Verde, Goias 76200

Brazil, South America ;

And the peace of God, which passeth all understand-
ing, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ
j QS 4s, — Philippians 4:7

16 CHILDREN'S PAGE

"Lessons From Nature" Series
SILENCE

Were you ever in a schoolroom so quiet you could
hear a pin drop? Or in a place where it was so quiet
you could almost hear yourself think?

Today those places are becoming rare indeed! Even
out in a field or woods far from the highways, we hear
the muffled roar of a jet flying high overhead.

Where can we go for a moment of absolute silence?
Many people today seem to be scared of silence, almost
as if rhey are afraid to just quietly meditate, or
think, about something worthwhile. They turn their
radios f televisions, and record players up until they
are so loud that other conversation is difficult or
impossible. Apparently they would rather hear the
brassy noise of entertainment than to visit with each
other, or sing, or read a quiet book. And they become
so accustomed to noise that some of them cannot sleep
at night if it's too quiet!

I like silence, I treasure it, as a wonderful gift
from God. When the pounding machine finally grinds to
a halt, I/rejoice. And even the pleasant sounds that
I love to; hear, such as beautiful singing, need si-
lence mixjed with the notes (rests, pauses for breath-
ing and between verses) to make me fully enjoy the
music, J

Most of all, I, like silence when thinking about God,
or speaking to Him in prayer. Like closing my eyes,
silence makes ( it easier to forget the things around me
and come into -God's holy Presence** No wonder, then,
that the Psalmist David cried out, "Be still, and know
that I am Go4, !l and the prophet Zechariah said, "Be
silent, all flesh, before the Lord,"

f --Stanley K. Brubaker

— ,-, — ■ „ .■. .,„ , ...— -. m i — i ___* ..■— . i . ■ .■ ■■ ■ ! " ■ ■ ■ ' ■ ■ ■ ■■ y. i . 1. .— . — ■■ — , — . » . . .. ..—— — - ■ ■ i . ■■!■ ' " """"""UT T I?

NON-PROFIT 6rG, -BULK RATE-U.S. POSTAGE PAID-PERMIT #10
THE PILGRIM Sonora, Calif.

19201 Cherokee Rd.

Tuolumne, Call f •
953 79

THE PILGRIM

VOL. 30 MARCH, 1983 NO, 3

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." t pm&r zii

PSALM 121

I will lift up mine eyes unto
the hills, from whence cometh
my help.

My help cometh from the Lord,
which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to
be moved: he that keepeth thee
will not slumber.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel
shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord
is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by
day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve thee from
all evil: he shall preserve thy
soul.

The Lord shall preserve thy going
out and thy coming in from this
time forth, and even for evermore.

Address: THE PILGRIM, 19201 Cherokee Rd., Tuolumne, CA 95379

THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST

Jesus, in trying to convince His disciples of who
He was and what His mission in the world was, asked
them, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 11
They said, M Some say that thou art John the Baptist;
some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the
prophets." Then He asked, "Whom do you say that I
am?" Then one of the disciples, Simon Peter, said,
"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus replied, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for
flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but
my Father which is in heaven,, And I say also unto
thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will
build nr£ church; and the gates of hell shall not pre-
vail against it," (See Matthew 16:13-18)

Despite complaints and criticism, abuse and neglect,
the church has a guaranteed future. Someone has said,
"Though the church has many critics, it has no rival.
Jesus called it my church and nothing can destroy it."
We must believe the church is here and is alive and
is declaring the righteousness of God in individual
life and also as a collective body, which is called
the church. This can only be a reality when individ-
ual souls declare that Jesus is the Christ, the Son
of the living God, and are controlled by this decla-
ration.

The word "church" is used two ways in the scrip-
tures. Church in its broad sense refers to all true
believers in Jesus Christ or the church universal.
Secondly, church applies to a local gathering of be-
lievers such as the church of God which was at Corinth
We believe this is basically the way it was used in
the scriptures. The universal is no more than the
shadow of the local.

The New Testament has structured the church in a
local setting. (See Acts 14:23, Revelation 2 and 3

THE PILGRIM

and others*) The local church is like the home: when
the home fails, society suffers; when the local church
fails, the kingdom suffers* The local church has a
responsibility to the kingdom universal* (I Thessalo-
nians 1:7-8) If we fail in this, we have failed in
our mission* If we have been faithful in this, we
have fulfilled our responsibility to all the churches*

Someone has said, n One of the church's problems is
that it includes people like you and me; though its
origin is divine, it is made up of sinners who have
received Jesus Christ as Saviour* The church is not
a hot house operating under controlled conditions in
an ideal atmosphere, nor is it a perfect people's ex-
hibition; rather it is a fellowship of twice-born sin-
ners seeking to conform to the image of Jesus Christ* 11

Every believer needs the support, warmth, and ten-
der care of a local assemblyo We need the church; the
church needs us in good and bad times, glad and sad
times. This is where we feel loved and wanted* Here
is where our love is received and absorbed, where we
share our lives and bear one another's burdens, where
we receive instruction and training, where we receive
discipline and correction, where we can exercise in
the ordinances, and above all, where we can love one
another as Christ has loved us*

We believe whan we can understand the church's or-
igen and purpose, we can from the heart sing:

Blest be the tie that binds
Otfr hearts in Christian love,

The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above*

— Kenneth Martin
Nappanee, Indiana

SIN

Sin is not a nice thought, but it is a reality, it
is all around us, and it is something we must hate and
flee because the enemy of our souls is trying to

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plague every one of us with this terrible disease.

It began with Satan, when he was filled with pride
and rose in rebellion and disobedience to the Most
High? and it will end when Satan and all his followers
are cast into the lake of fire*

Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift, the Lord
Jesus Christ, for the Word, and for the Holy Spirit
that will set us free*

The definition of sin as found in Cruden 1 s Con -
cordan ce is as follows: any thought, word, action,
omission, or desire contrary to the law of God* We
read in I John 3:4-10, "Whosoever committeth sin
transgresseth also the laws for sin is the transgres-
sion of the law And ye know that he was manifested
to take away our sinsi and in him is no sin., Whoso-
ever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth
hath not seen him, neither known him. Little chil-
dren, let no man decei ve you : he that doeth right-
eousness is righteous, even as he is righteous , He
that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil
sinneth from the beginning. For t his purpose the son
2l 2SA H5 manifested , that he might destroy the works
of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not com-
mit sin j for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot
sin, because he is born of God, Jjti this the c hildren
of God are m anifes t, and the children of the devil :
whosoever doeth not r 1 gh t e ou s ne s s is not of God ,
neither he that loveth not his brother."

These are sobering words and very plain to see,
Paul wrote to the Romans, "Know ye not, that to whom
ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye
are to whom ye. obey; whether of sin unto death, or of
obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked,
that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have o beyed
from the heart that form of d octrine which was de -
livered you . Being then made free from sin, ye be-
came the servants of righteousness*" (Romans 6:16-18)
Verse 22-23 of the same chapter: "But now being made
free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have
your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting
life. For the wages of sin is deaths but the gift of

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God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lordo 11

Our motives and attitudes must surely stand out
very large with our Lordo As we read the Bible we get
the picture of the Lord f s will: Be ye holy, for I am
holy! Worship and serve only me! Love me with all
your heart, mind, strength, and soul! Then Jesus*
words: "Blessed are the pure in heart, M and "Be ye
perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is
perfect*" We know that as long as we are in this
tabernacle of clay, we will come short of the will of
Godo If we could be spotless and sinless, our blessed
Lord would not have needed to shed His blood to atone
for our sins* 3ut the heart can be perfect (which was
said of many of the righteous throughout the Bible),
and the motives can be pure, and the soul can drink of
the water of life freely and be filled with gratitude,
praise, peace, and joy* How thankful we should be to
have our sins forgiven! And how refreshing it is,
after we realize we have done wrong, to come to the .
throne of grace!

As we think of the life of David, we notice how
close a relation he had with his Maker* The Bible
says, "David was a man after God's own heart*" David
spoke many beautiful words: "My heart is fixed,
God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise,,"
(Psalm 57:7) "As the hart panteth after the water
brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, God* My soul
thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I
come and appear before God?" (Psalm 42:1,2) "Thy word
have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against
thee*" (Psalm 119:11)

Recently a brother and I were talking about Satan
and how he would tear things apart if we allow him*
The brother described Satan like a puppy with a pillow
in his mouth, just shaking and tearing until every-
thing is torn and scattered all over*

Peter tells us: "Be sober, be vigilant! because
your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh
about, seeking whom he may devour*," (I Peter 5:8)
John the Reve later records, "And the dragon was wroth

THE PILGRIM

with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant
of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and
have the testimony of Jesus Christ,," (Revelation 12:
17) Paul, writing to the church at Corinth: n And no
marvel^ for Satan himself is transformed into an angel
of lighto Therefore it is no great thing if his min-
isters also be transformed as the ministers of right-
eousnessi whose end shall be according to their works* 1 '
(II Corinthians 11:14,15) Paul's charge to the elders
of Ephesus: "Wherefore I take you to record this day,
that I am pure from the blood of all men, For I have
not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of
God* Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all
the flocks over which the Holy Ghost hath made you
overseers , to feed the church of God, which he hath
purchased with his own blood* For I know this, that
after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in
among you, not sparing the flock* Also of your own
selves shall man arise, speaking perverse things, to
draw away disciples after them* Therefore watch, and
remember, that by the space of three years I ceased
not to warn every one night and day with tears* 11 (Acts
20:26-31)

Jesus said: "Watch and pray, that ye enter not
into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but
the flesh is weak*' 1 (Matthew 26:41) But, praise the
Lord, there's power in the blood; "and this is the
victory that overcometh the world, even our faith*"
(I John 5:4) "And' they overcame him (Satan) by the
blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony;
and they loved not their lives unto the death*"
(Revelation 12:11) "There hath no temptation taken
you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye
are able; but will with the temptation also make a
way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it*" (I
Corinthians 10:13) "Finally, my brethren, be strong
in the Lord, and in the power of his might* Put on
the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil* For we wrestle not

THE PILGRIM

against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of
God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,
and having done all, to stand* Stand therefore, hav-
ing your loins girt, about with truth , and having on
the breastplate of righteousness ; And your feet ^shod
with the preparation of the gospel of peace ? Above all,
taking the shield of faith, wherewith je shall be able
to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked . And take
the helm et of salvation , and the sword of the Spirit ;,
which £s the word of God: Praying always with all
prayer and supplication in the Spirit , . * l! (Ephcsians
6 il 0-1 8)

.Surely God desires for His children to accept the
word just as it is, without adding to or taking away.
As the apostle Paul wrote: SfFdr we are not as many,
which corrupt the word of Gods but as of sincerity,
but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ."
(II Corinthians 2:17)

The subject of sin, we feel, is taken far too light-
ly in today's religious world, and lukewarmness is the
result. May we who are of the day watch and be sober,
casting off the works of darkness and redeeming the
time because the days are evil*

In Christian love,
Kenneth Garber
* Hughson, California

STEPHEN

Would you like to be a Stephen? I mean the Stephen
who was stoned— the first Christian martyr. What
would it be like to face an angry mob armed with
stones? We would all like to see what Stephen saw
when the heavens opened to him* But perhaps it is
like any great accomplishment or a difficult, painful
job; we like having done it; we like when it is over.

Compare the life of Stephen to that of Moses— the

THE PILGRIM .

one so short; the other so long. Both were so vivid
and useful; both were given the vision into the prom-
ised land at the close of their lives. Both were
violently opposed by Satan because of the importance
of their work in God's kingdom.

It is easy to see why the long life of Moses and
his service were so enduring in the hearts of his peo-
ple, Eut for Stephen to be martyred so soon, to have
such a short period of service, it would seem that
such a life would not be long remembered and not count
for so much* But it doesn't take prolonged study or
speculation to see the truth about Stephen's testimony.
Can we begin to calculate the number of men and women
who have read of Stephen's life and death and been
deeply ncved--perhaps even converted through this
account? This is besides the people of his day with
whom he spoke and who witnessed his death.

It is certain that Stephen's life and death in-
fluenced Paul 1 So Little did proud Saul realize when
he looked after the clothes of the witnesses at
Stephen's stoning, that some day he would be preaching
this same Gospel against which he was working so ve-
hemently,

Saul's native town was Tarsus in Cilicia, and it
was against Jews from this area and others that
Stephen was disputing, (Acts 6:9) Saul may have been
one of Stephen 1 s chief antagonists. It is interesting
that even though there were many Jews against one
"they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit
by which he spake. 11 Such is the power and Spirit of
God Finally they hired false witnesses to testify
they had heard him speak blasphemy against Moses and
against God. If this would have been true, it would
indeed have called for stoning according to Leviticus
24sl6.

Paul, being so zealous of the law and living with
a good conscience before God as he did, must have had
some inklings of God's true will even before he was
struck down on tha Damascus road. For one thing, he
had never seen a man die like Stephen did, forgiving

THE PILGRIM 9

those who stoned him, and so obviously seeing a vision
of glory. And Jesus told Paul, "It is hard for thee
to kick against the pricks, 11 indicating that Paul was
not as sure of his course as he wanted to believe he
was, Paul remembered all his life that he had perse-
cuted the church, and this man Stephen was, without a
doubt, a vivid inspiration to him to leave all for
Jesus as he did.

Did we wonder that a life so short as Stephen's
could have so much influence? It seems that this is
the main purpose of his life--an influence in the
church of God. The length of life is not what counts
but the quality of that life—how completely it is
yielded to God. It is like Jesus said of Mary and
her anointing of His body for burial— this would be
told wherever the Gospel would be preached.

Do our lives bear any resemblance to Stephen's?
They should if we are in Christ. We may not have to
be stoned. Our testimonies may not reach the millions
like Stephen's has* But we can belong to the same
church and serve the same Lord. He can work His will
in us as He did in Stephen. Each one has a place to
fill. Each one has a life and a death with which to
glorify God.

We are giving out an influence whether we know it
or not—for good or evil. May we examine ourselves
in the light of God's Word. What are our goals and
motives? How attached are we to this world? How much
do we value our lives here? Jesus said, l! He that
findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth
his life for my sake shall find it." (Matthew 10:39)
To "lose cur lives" for Jesus' sake may mean for us
to be so swallowed up in the cause of Christ as to be
like Paul — crucified with Christ, nevertheless we
live, and the life we now live is by the faith of
Jesus Christ.

Stephen was a man "full of faith and of the Holy
Ghost. 11 If this can be said of us, God has use for
us in the church of Jesus Christ and a home for us in
glory. — L.C.

10 THE PILGRIM

OH MAN, ANSWER IF YOU CAN!

Where were you, oh man?
Answer if you can,
Oh man of education*

Where were you when I,
The Lord God most high,
Created all creation?

Where were you, my man

When I made the plan

And laid the world 1 s foundation?

Where are you, oh man?
An$wer if you can,
Oh man for evolution!

Where are you? Theories
Solve not mysteries
Nor prove a false conclusion
(But multiply confusion).

Where are you, now then,
My fallen man in sin,
Oh man of revolution?

Who are you, oh man?

answer if you can,

Oh man of earthly knowledge*

How are you so great?

Do you educate

The Lord in human college?

How are you so grand?

Can you understand

Your God's wonderful knowledge?

What are you, oh man?
Answer if you can,
Man of imagination.

What are you, creature.
Pupil or teacher,
To dQXip 7 your creation?

THE PILGRIM H

What are you but dust?

Your Creator trust,

Praise Him with admiration!

Where were you, oh man?
Answer if you can,
I am from eternity!

Where were you when I,
Your Lord God most high,
Made you a live entity
(Gave to you identity)?

Oh where will you be,
Man, when you meet Me?
I am to eternity!

!0h man, answer if you can!

--Hollis Flora
Greenville, Ohio

GOD'S LOVE

How sparse > alas, its gold rush days,
Few seek its treasure rare;
God's mine of love, unfathomed, deep,.
Has rich exhaustless fare.

The searching soul with eager eye,
Who seeks this mine of wealth,
May find rich veins of happiness,
Contentment, peace , and health.

The weary need not labor long;
There is a lode of rest.
Rich stores of perfect peace are found
By troubled souls, distressed.

Its great resources scarcely tapped,
Endless the stores thereof;
There is no need it cannot fill —
The treasury of God's love.

— Miriam J. Sauder

12 THE PILGRIM

HISTORICAL
BIBLE HISTORY

A historical study is an effort to discover the
record of an event and to verify the authenticity of
the recordo Determining how the record has been pre-
served and relayed to us thus becomes a challenging
task. The history of the Bible is a study that has
to be accepted on the premise of its primary content,
which is one of faith. The following quote from the
Funk and Wagnalls Standard Reference Encyclopedia re-
garding the Bible is, I feel, worthy of note,

"It is necessary to consider the Bible as a col-
lection of writings produced against the background
of Near and Middle Eastern culture and history. This
is because both Judaism and Christianity are 'histor-
ical* religions! ice,, their spiritual development as
recorded in their sacred scriptures, forms an inte-
gral part of their historical background.

"The Old Testament and Apocrypha are almost all
the writings that remain from ancient Hebrew liter-
ature, although many other works must once have ex-
isted. What distinguishes these surviving documents
of the Hebrew literature from the national liter-
atures of Greece, Rome, India, Great Britain and the
United States is their almost exclusively religious
character. Other literatures contain numerous inde-
pendent works of poetry, drama, satire, biography,
history, or philosophy. In the Old Testament and
Apocrypha, pure or mixed examples of some of these
kinds of writing may be found (such as the histories
of I and II Kings, the poetry of the Psalms, or the
dramatic dialogues , of Job), but they are primarily
characterized by the religious purpose that pervades
the entire body of work. There is no real parallel
to this situation in any other literature. As one
consequence, no other pre-Christian religion, except
possibly that of ancient Greece, is so well doc-
umented as that of ancient Israel. This is espe-
cially fortunate insofar as the Old Testament en-

THE PILGRIM 13

shrines many of the highest and noblest religious
teachings and ideals mankind has ever known* 11

-Joseph Wagner
Modesto, California

100 YEARS AGO

This poem, by Rhoda La Simpson, appeared in the
June, 1883 Vindicator «

ONE HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW

We will all be calmly sleeping

Underneath the earth we tread,
None above us r>hall be weeping

All who knew us will be dead;
Other hands shall strive for gainings,

Others then shall knit the brow,
We shall sleep on all forgotten,

Just one hundred years from now.

We may horde the golden treasure,

As we journey on through life,
Making that our brightest treasure,

Long and bitter be our strife;
Yet we shall not long enjoy it,

Those who care not why, or how
It was gotten, shall possess it,

Just one hundred years from now.

Others theji shall fill our places

Some may bear the same old name 5
Will they resemble us in faces,

Will they be just quite the same?
No, indeed! they still may be troubled

O'er the scythe, or o'er the plow,
Yet they then will be jso different^

Just one hundred years from now

Will their thoughts be any better,
Will the mind have higher grown?

Will they think of us as "fogies",
As we think of those who are gone?

14 THE PILGRIM

Will they then be any wiser,

Will they be too proud to bow
To the God that reigns above them,

Just one hundred years from now?

Will the days seem more enlightened,

Heaven then be dimmer grown?
And will the earth still be shrouded

With the mysteries we have known?
Will the cross have grown still lighter,

Sorrow visit less the brow?
Will the world be "topsy turvey,"

Just one hundred years from now?

--Selected by John Schonwald

THE BURIAL OF MOSES

By Nebo's lonely mountain

On this side Jordan* s wave,
In a vale in the land of Moab

There lies a lonely grave;
And no man knows that sepulchre

And no man saw it e'er,
For the angels of God upturned the sod

And laid the dead man there*

That was the grandest funeral

That ever passed on earth;
But no mat-), heard the trampling

Or saw the train go forth,
Noiselessly as the daylight

Comes back when night is done,
And the crimson streak on ocean's cheek

Grows into the great sun«

Noiselessly as the springtime
Her crown of verdure weaves,

And all the trees on all the hills
Open their thousand leaves;

So without sound of music
Or voice of them that rapt,

THE PILGRIM 15

Silently down the mountain's crown
The great procession swept 9

In that strange grave without a name

Whence his uncoffined clay
Shall break again* Oh wondrous thought,

Before the Judgment day,
And stand with glory wrapt around

On hills he never trod,
And speak of the strife that won our life

With the incarnate Son of God.

lonely grave in Moab's land!

dark Beth-peor f s hill!
Speak to these curious hearts of ours,

And teach them to be still.
God hath his mysteries of grace,

Ways that we cannot tell;
He hides them deep, like the hidden sleep

Of him he loved so well.

— Cecil Frances Alexander

ANNUAL MEETING AND COMMUNION NOTICES

We, the members of the eastern district of the Old
Brethren, have appointed a Love feast and Communion for
April 30 and May 1 at the Wakarusa meeting house. The
Lord willing, we are looking forward to a time of sweet
fellowship and feeding upon' His Word. A hearty invita-
tion is extended to all of our brethren, sisters, and

friends. u -, . n

— Melvin Coning

The Annual Meeting of the Old Brethren Church will
be held, the Lord willing, on May 20, 21, and 22 at
the Salida, California, meeting house. Friday will be •
council dayj on Saturday and Sunday (Pentecost), there "
will be public preaching] and on Saturday evening, the
Communion service. A hearty invitation and welcome is
extended to all our members and friends to attend.

— Joseph L. Cover

16 CHILDREN'S PAGE

"Lessons From Nature" Series
THORNS OF SAFETY

It was a beautiful day in April, As I explored a
thorny hedge near the edge of a lush pasture, a beau-
tiful bird flew out. It was about the size of a robin
but had a much longer tail. By its delicate brown and
white streaks, I knew it to be a Brown Thrasher, a
relative of the mockingbird.

Knowing it was the time of year for nesting, I
carefully searched in the Multiflora Rose hedge until
I found the nest. This was not easy, for a wild rose
hedge contains thousands of tiny sharp thorns, and the
nest was several feet back into the woven tangle.

"What a strange place for a nest," I thought.
Don*t the thorns hurt the father and mother Thrashers
as they visit their nest?"

And then I knew. God had given the Thrashers the
instinct to know that the thorny hedge was really a
very safe place to r aise their babies l Their own feet
were small, and could easily perch between the thorns
of the hedge. But if an enemy, such as a cat or fox or
large hawk, should come near the nest, those sharp
thorns would help to keep it away from the baby birds.

And the thought comes to me now that discipline,
which is so necessary for young creatures of the wild
and for young humans as well, can be well compared to
those thorns of safety. The unpleasantness of disci-
pline was also designed by an all-wise God, to help
the young creature (or boy or girl) remember keenly a
lesson that needs to be remembered. Like thorns of
safety, the pain which seems so unnecessary is in fact
a most wonderful blessing. --Stanley K. Brubaker

NON-PROFIT ORG.-BULK RATE-IKS. POSTAGE PA ID -PERMIT #10
THE PILGRIM Sonora, Calif.

19201 Cherokee Rd.
Tuolumne, Calif.
95379

THE PILGRIM

VOL. 30 APRIL, 1983 NO. 4

'Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." i Peter 2: n

HIS BLOOD BE UPON US

Thou Lamb df God, by guilty man
Arraigned at Pilate's judgment hall; ■
The prophecies by centuries span
Now in sequence began to fall.

The mob of men, excited to
The pitch of hate and evil ways,
Chimed in to try to see and do
The fate foretold in former days*

"His blood be on usl n loud they said,
"Our children, too, here by our side."
They sealed His fate upon His head;
He for our sifts was crucified.

For who can live beyond the vale
To dwell in everlasting bliss
Without His blood our sins avail?
What love is this I What love is this!

For while His blood was freely shed —
Fell drop by drop upon the ground,
The price was paid for every head,
And full salvation freely found.

And how for this our debt repay,
He bought us by His precious blood
To live in brighter glory day
Close to our Saviour and our God.

— Joseph I. Cover

Address: THE PILGRIM, 19201 Cherokee Rd., Tuolumne, CA 95379

"HE COULD HAVE CALLED
TEN THOUSAND. ANGELS"

n Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father,
and he shall presently give me more than twelve le^
gions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be
fulfilled, that thus it must be?" (Matthew 26:53,54)

With this knowledge we must all confess that surely
Jesus 1 death was voluntary and sacrificialo He
wouldn't have had to go to the crossc He would not
have had to allow men to spit on Him, jerk out His
beard, smite Him, flog Him, and crucify Him* But how
then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled?

Jesus 1 submission was not the usual pattern of men
dealing with each other. The weak do not push and
buffet the strong. The rich do not bow and yield to
the poor. A man with an army behind him has and main-
tains the power. Only in this way can we explain a
Nero or a Hitler—they used the power available to
them.

Jesus had reasons why He bowed to the mob and did
not call for the legions of angels. He stated one
reason that includes many reasons: The Scriptures
must be fulfilled* In discussing this we must remem-
ber that God's plan came even before the Scriptures.
Hebrews 4:3 says, "* * . although the works were fin-
ished from the foundation of the world* 11 Revelation
13:8: ". . * the Lamb slain from the foundation of
the world. " Ephesians 1:4: "According as he hath
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world
* • • " The Scriptures were given to reveal God's plan
and to serve to qualify or disqualify anyone who came
claiming to fit that plan. Jesus must and did qualify
by the fulfilling of the Scriptures* We can give only
a few of the many. Psalm 22:7: "All they that see
me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they

THE PILGRIM

shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that
he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he
delighted in him." Read Mark 15:29-32 to see how this
was fulfilled and why He refused the deliverance of
the angels to fulfill it. Much of Psalm 22 tells of
Jesus' sufferings.

Isaiah 50s6 foretells some of His miseries: "I
gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them
that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from
shame and spitting." ("What He endured, who can
tell?") Besides the prophecies of what Jesus would
suffer personally, there are those He also fulfilled
that tell of the new day for Israel when all men would
be invited to be sons and daughters of God--all accom-
plished through the New Covenant confirmed by the
blood of Christ. Isaiah 53 speaks of this accomplish-
ment as well as His personal sufferings* The Scrip-
tures must be fulfilled.

Jesus was jto make peace. The Eden-old controversy
or alienation? between God and man must be settled here.
"For it pleased the Father that in him should all ful-
ness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood
of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto him-
self; bf him, I say, whether they be things in earth,
or things in heaven." (Colossians 1:19,20) ". . . God
was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath com-
mitted unto us the word of reconciliation." (II Corin-
thians 5:19) God was to be satisfied. "He shall see
of tha travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied."
(Isaiah 53:11?

As a man He carried out the principle that He gave
His followers: "But I say unto you, That ye resist
not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right
cheek, turn to him the other also*" (Matthew 5:39)
Paul writes, Romans 12:21, "Be not overcome of evil,
but overcome evil with good." I Peter 2:21.-23: "For
even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suf-
fered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should
follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile
found in his mouth: Who* when h^ was revised, xceviled

THE PILGRIM

not again$ when he suffered, he threatened not; but
committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. 11

What does this mean to us? Does He expect us Co
act this way in imitation of Him? He doeso At the
same time He said He could have called the army of
angels, He told Peter who had cut off the servant's
ear, M Put up again thy sword into his place: for all
they that take the sword shall perish with the sword,"

There is a church group not far from us that is
apparently in a struggle right now. The church doors
have been locked against some of the members. Some
have been disf ellowshipped, and there is fear that:
even violeace will resulto Men down through the ages
have had similar conflicts when Satan sowed discord
and the spirit of retaliation prevailed. Not until
at least some are willing to follow Jesus in His way
will there be hope of reconciliation and peace in any
conflict, no matter how large or small. The utter
futility of solving anything with retaliation is wit-
nessed by all the wars of history and their end of
misery, death, and enmity*

However greatly this principle applies in the
Christian life, we know that Jesus was doing more than
simply showing us how to act in persecution situations.
He was making atonement for the sins of the world,
and apparently there was no other way it could be
done. He suffered all this for us. Jesus "was de-
livered for our offences, and was raised again for
our justification." Truly we should bow in adoration,
gratitude, and worship to Him Who loved us and washed
us from our sins in His own blood. To Him be glory
both now and forever! --L.C.

TEN THOUSAND ANGELS

They bound the hands of Jesus in the garden

where He prayed 5
They led Him through the streets in shame.
They spat upon the Saviour so pure and free

from sin 5
They said. "Crucify Himj He f s to blame."

THE PILGRIM

Upon His precious head they placed a crown

of thorns;
They laughed and said, "Behold the King."
They struck Him and they cursed Him and

mocked His holy name
All alone He suffered everything.

When they nailed Him to the Cross, His mother

stood nearby;
He said, "Woman, behold thy son!"
He cried, "I thirst for water," but they

gave Him none to drink.
Then the sinful work of man was done.

To the howling mob He yielded; He did not

for mercy cry.
The Cross of shame He took alone.
And when He cried, "It's finished," He gave

himself to die;
Salvation's wondrous plan was done.

CHORUS \

He could have called ten thousand angels
To destroy the world and set Him free.
He could have called ten thousand angels,
But He died alone for you and me.

— Ray Overholt

EARLY CHURCH HISTORY

In doing some study on early church history, I was
impressed and would like to share the following from
Eerdman's Handbook to the History of C hristianity ;

"The basic claim of the early Christians was that
they had discovered a different way of life that was
better than that offered by the non-Christian world.
They believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah or
Christ, and that He had freed them from their sins
and transformed their lives through the power of the
jjoly S,p'L>:i>t* They were, in the words of the apostle

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Paul, new creations in Christo They believed that
theirs was a better way because it offered the be-
liever forgiveness of sins, peace with God, hope for
the future, a new and higher ethical standard, power
to live up to that special ethical standard, and life
after death* The Christian believers first loyalty
was to Jesus Christ, and therefore the Christians
practised a new ethic of love, even towards enemies*
Christians emphasized concern for others rather than
selfo Many of the early converts to the faith, such
as Justin Martyr, were first attracted by the love
they saw among believers*

"Since their lifestyle was so radically different,
Christians were almost automatically excluded from the
mainstream of pagan society* Whan they refused to
participate in the pageantry of imperial social life,
or when they declined to engage in war, or when they
rejected luxury and personal adornment, they were sus-
pected of being anti-social and dangerous fanatics*
Because they were so obviously different from non-
Christians in the Roman worlds they soon were dubbed
'the third race 1 * That is, they were regarded as
neither pagan nor Jewish, but as a race apart. Lastly
many early Christians considered earthly citizenship
unimportant because they were citizens of heaven*
Other Christians ignored political boundaries since
they claimed God did not recognize them*

"On the other hand, from the beginning Christians
have also been concerned to give proper respect to
duly constituted government as demonstrated by Paul
in Romans chapter thirteen, where he seems to be ar-
guing against anarchism*

"The hallmarks of apostolic Christianity were sim-
plicity, community, evangelism, and love* It was sim-
ple because it had little or no formal organization,
maintained no church buildings or membership rolls,
taught easy to understand doctrines, and followed a
plan of financing activities by personal giving* This
simplicity appealed especially to the poor and op-
pressed classes which could understand and participate

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without difficulty in the new faith*

"In addition, the Christian emphasis on a community
of love sealed by baptism appealed to many people who
were otherwise without hope and desperately lonely*
Many felt themselves adrift in a world grown too
large, and they craved the type of intimate fellow^
shir offered by the Christian congregations*. The
Christian community made no distinctions based upon
race, nation, cultural status, slavery, freedom or
sex. The Christian church was to be gathered from
every nation, all tribes, peoples, and language
groups* The sense of community was fostered by fre-
quen: meetings for worship, study, sharing, and the
celebration of a love feast called the agape* In
short, the community of Christians gave many other-
vise outcast people a real sense of identity and be-
longing. Furthermore, the early Christians were ag-
gressively evangelistic* They wanted to share their
new found life in Christ with others less fortunate*
They believed that Jesus was the Son of God and that
He could do what He claimed* They wanted to spread
to the entire world the good news of new life in
Christ* They were certain that they were right and
were convinced that they had found ultimate truth (or
reality) and values in Jesus and His teachings * n

In the above we find faith (belief, trust, convic-
tion) and peace with God * Jesus said, "Peace I leave
with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world
giveth, give I unto you* Let not your heart be
troubled, neither let it be afraid* 11 (John 14:27)

In Christ we find hope for the future * "For we
are saved by hope. * * n (Romans 8:24)

We find a new and higher ethical code and love
even for enemies -* "Ye have heard that it hath been
said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine
enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless
them that curse you, do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you, . e " (Matthew 5:43,44) "A new com-
mandment I give unto you, That ye love one another;

8 THE PILGRIM

as I have loved you <> c" (John 13:34)

We f ind power to live the special ethical standard o
"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:
and this is the victory that overcometh the world*
even our faith." (I John 5:4) "I can do all things
through Christ which strengthened me," (Philippians

4:13)

The Christian believer's first loyalty is to Jesus
tJ l£ any man come to me, and hate not his father, and
mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and
sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my
discipleo And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and
come after me, cannot be my disciple* 11 (Luke 14:26,27)

Their lifestyle was so radically different (non-
conformity) o Our pattern should be from Jesus, not
from the world* The darker the world gets, the
brighter the Christian light will shine* !! I beseech
you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that
ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, ac-
ceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service*
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye trans -
f ormad by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God-" (Romans 12:1,2) "Wherefore come out
from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord,
and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive
you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be
my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty*"
(II Corinthians 6:17,18)

They declined to engage in war (nonresistance) *
Since our citizenship is in heaven and we are stran-
gers and pilgrims on earth and have been taught by our
Saviour to love as He loved, to love even our enemies,
it isn't consistent to take part in warfare and in
shedding of blood*. Jesus came to save men, not to
destroy them* And as Paul wrote to the Remans,
"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather
give place unto wrath: for ^t is written, Vengeance
is minej I will repay, saith the Lord* Therefore if
thine enemy hunger, feed himj if he thirst, give him

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drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire
on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome
evil with good," (Romans 12:19-21)

Christians emphasize simplicity of life . The above
history states they rejected luxury and personal
adornment and were considered fanatics., Surely the
life and teachings of Jesus show a life of obedience
to the Father, not living for the things of the world
(which shall pass away) but laying up treasure in
heaven, being rich towards Godo Peter says, "Whose
adorning let it not be that outward adorning of
plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of
putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man
of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even
the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in
the sight of God of great price," (I Peter 3:3,4)
Jesus left the riches of heaven, was born in a manger,
and said, "• • • Foxes have holes, and the birds of
the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where
to lay his head, 11 (Matthew 8:20)

They are evangelistic * "For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have ever-
lasting life»" (John 3:16) How much did Jesus love
us? He loved us so much that He died for us so we
could have eternal life. How much are we concerned
about the souls of our fellow men? This is a question
we all need to ask ourselves, Jesus in speaking of
the lost sheep that was found said, n I say unto you,
that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner
that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just
persons, which need no repentance," (Luke 15:7) May
our feet be "shod with the preparation of the gospel
of peace," (Ephesiaris 6:15)

BETRAYED

Friend, I stand in judgment now
And feel that you're to blame somehow.
On earth I was with you day by day
And never did you point the way.

10 THE PILGRIM

You knew the Lord in truth and glory,
But never did you tell the story.
My knowledge then was very dim;
You could have led me safe to Him,

Yes, I knew He T d made the earth
But knew not of that second birth,
And now I stand this day condemned
Because you failed to mention Him.

You taught me many things 9 that's true;
I called you "friend" and trusted you.
I learn now that it ? s too late;
You could have kept me from this fate .

We walked by day and talked by night,
And yet you showed me not the light.
You let me live, and love, and die
And knew I'd never live on high.

Yes, I called you "friend" in life
And trusted you through joy and strife,
And yet, on coming to this end,
I cannot now call you my friend.

— Poem Selected
In Christian love, Kenneth Garber

Hugh son, Calif.

MEDITATIONS

By using electricity, men are able to record sound
and conversation on tape and play it back many times,
as long as the tape is not erased. So why should we
think it incredible that the Lord, through ministering
spirits, would have a complete record of our lives and
all our words? He has record of all except those por-
tions He would erase, which He promises to do if we re-
pent and turn to Him. Psalm 139 tells His wonderful
insight into our lives: "0 Lord, thou hast searched me,
and known me..." Jesus said not one sparrow is for-
gotten. —Ernest Wagner

/ , Modesto, California

THE PILGRIM 11

HE IS RISEN I

Kind women went with sweet ointment,
Their hearts sad and full of gloom.

Why do you weep? Christ does not sleep;
He is risen from the tomb I

"Who," wondered they, "will roll away
The great stone from the grave T s door?"

An angel said, "Christ is not dead;
He is risen evermore I"

With joy they heard the angel's word;

God's message to them he gave:
"Oh, do not fear; Christ is not here;

He is risen from the gravel"

Aloud proclaim the Saviour's fame;

The wonderful news go tell;
God's only Son, the Holy One,

He is risen from dark belli

Although Christ died, was crucified,
On the cross His blood did shed;

He ever lives, and life He gives;
He is risen from the dead!

Christ died for you; yes, it is true;

He who believes never dies;
Though you be dead, when Christ your Head

Comes in glory, you will rise I

Chorus:

Christ is risen from death's prison;

He has set the prisoners free!
He is risenl He is risenl

Jesus lives eternally I

— Hollis Edward Flora
Greenville, Ohio

12 THE PILGRIM

HISTORICAL

HISTORY OF THE BIBLE

RUTH

"This short history of the domestic affairs of one
particular family fitly follows the book of Judges
(the events related here happening in the days of the
judges), and fitly goes before the books of Samuel,
because in the close it introduces Davido It relates
not miracles nor laws, wars nor victories, nor the
revolutions of states, but the affliction first and
afterwards the comfort of Naomi, the conversion first
and afterwards tl: - preferment of Ruth. The design of
this book is, I, Zo lead to providence, to show us
how conversant it is about our private concerns.
IIo To lead to Christ, Who descended from Ruth, and
part of Whose genealogy concludes the book, whence it
is fetched into Matthew 1. In the conversion of Ruth
the Moahitess, and the bringing of her into the ped-
igree of the Messiah, we have a type of the calling
of the Gentiles in due time into the fellowship of
Christ Jesus our Lord. The afflictions of Naomi and
Ruth we have an account of, chapter 1; instances of
their industry and humility, chapter 2; the bringing
of them Into an alliance with Boaz, chapter 3; and
their happy settlement thereby, chapter 4. And let us
remember the scene is laid in Bethlehem, the city
where our Redeemer was born. 11 (Introduction to the
Book of Ruth, from Matthew Henry 1 s Commentary )

This book is not exactly dated, but as our quote
from Matthew Henry states, fits well into the period
of the judges of Israel. The genealogy given down to
King David would date it approximately. The ancient
customs are also said to be well represented from this
period. The concluding remarks were likely recorded
after David became famous, and perhaps the whole book
was recorded after David — either from older documents
or from verbal family history.

How thankful we can be for these ancient records

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that inspire us and testify so wonderfully to the
faithfulness of our God and His continuing plans for
the redemption of fallen men, --L.C.

100 YEARS AGO

This poem appeared in the December, 1883 Vindicator,
The poet is not named*

THE DIFFERENCE

The strangest difference I see,
Lord, between the world and me,
They in bloody strife and thronging,
Righting everything by wronging;
I am dwelling lonely, longing,
Lord, for thee e

They are fighting to be free,
Groaning, shrieking, "Liberty!"
Every one is in distress, or
Crushing others — an oppressor?
I am resting — my Redeemer,
Thou shalt be«

Planting greedily a tree,
Envying whose the fruit shall be,
Eating, drinking, parting, mating,
Building, raging, reinstating,
They are reigning, I am waiting,
Lord, for thee«

For the Vindicator (1883)

Selected by John Schonwaid

Five things observe with care:
To whom you speak;
Of whom you speak;

And how, and when> and where.

— William Norris

_ THE PILGEIM . 14

I BORE WITH THEE LONG, WEARY DAYS

I bore with thee long, weary days and nights,

Through many pangs of heart, through many tears;

I bore with thee, thy hardness, coldness, slights, '

For three and thirty years.

Who else had dared for thee what I have dared?
I plunged the depth most deep from bliss above;
I not My flesh, I not My spirit spared:
Give thou Me love for love.

For th?-3 I thirsted in the daily drouth,
For thee I trembled in the nightly frost;
Much sweeter thou than honey to My mouth;
Why wilt thou still be lost?

I bore thee on My shoulders and rejoiced;
Men only marked upon My shoulders borne
The branding cross; and shouted hungry- voiced,
Or wagged their heads in scorn ♦

Thee did nails grave upon My hands; thy name
Did thorns for frontlets stamp between Mine eyes.
I, Holy One, put on thy guilt and shame;
I, God, Priest, Sacrifice.

A thief upon My 'right hand and My left;

Six hours alone, athirst, in misery;

At length, in death, one smote My heart, and cleft

A hiding place for thee.

Nailed to the racking cross, than bed of down
More dear, whereon to stretch Myself and sleep:
So did I win a kingdom — share My crown;
A harvest — come and reap,

— Christina Rossetti

Selected by Susie Wagner

THE PILGRIM 15

ANNUAL MEETING AND COMMUNION NOTICES

We, the members of the eastern district of the Old
Brethren, have appointed a Love feast and Communion for
April 30 and May 1 at the Wakarusa meeting house, The
Lord willing, we are looking forward to a time of sweet
fellowship and feeding upon His Word. A hearty invita-
tion is extended to all of our brethren, sisters , and

friends. .

— Melvxn Coning

The Annual Meeting of the Old Brethren Church will
be held, the Lord willing, on May 20, 21, and 22, at the
Salida, California, meeting house. Friday will be
council day; on Saturday and Sunday (Pentecost), there
will be public preaching; and on Saturday evening, the
Communion service. A hearty invitation and welcome is
extended to all our members and friends to attend.

— Joseph L. Cover

MARRIAGE

MILLER — MILLER Marilyn and Bill Miller were married
at MiWuk, California, on March 19, 1983.

THE BRIDE

While. Adam slept in Eden,
The Lord took from his side

A rib from his own body
To make for him a bride.

When Jesus died on Calvary,
Forth from his wounded side,

Flowed crimson blood and water
To buy the church, His bride.

Selected from The Christian Example

16 CHILDREN'S PAGE

"Lessons From Nature 11 Series

THE PARROT

Have you ever heard a talking parrot? Weren f t you
amazed as you listened to it saying phrases you could
easily understand? How wonderful and humorous it is
to see a little feathered creature opening his bill
to squawk out human sounds!

But did you stop to think that the bird probably
understood very little about what he was saying? He
had been carefully trained by long repetition to say
the phrase, but he knew little of what he was saying!

As humans, we may find ourselves doing the same
thing. How easy it is to imitate others. How easy it
is to memorize something and say it or sing it without
paying attention to the meaning. How easy it is to be
courteous, to say Please or Thank You without really
feeling thankful.

God loves sincerity. He admires and appreciates
honest speaking, heartfelt singing, sincere living.
One time Jesus proved to us that He accepts sincere
praise from the smallest child. He was working mira-
cles in the great temple at Jerusalem. People were ex-
cited as they watched Him healing blind people and per-
sons who could not walk. Like their parents, some lit-
tle children began shouting "Hosanna to the son of
David (Jesus)!" Jesus 1 enemies became upset at this;
little children should be quiet in God f s church, they
thought. But Jesus spoke to their hearts: "Yes, I
hear them," He replied, "Haven f t you ever read, 'Out
of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast per-
fected praise?*"

Because the little children were sincere, and not
just "parroting" others, God rejoiced in their praise.

. — Stanley K. Brubaker

NON-PROFIT ORG. -BULK RATE-U.S. POSTAGE PA ID -PERMIT #10
THE PILGRIM
19201 Cherokee Rd
Tuolumne^ Calif,
953 79

THE PILGRIM

VOL. 30 MAY, 1983 NO. 5

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." / Peter mi

THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE HEAVENLY DOVE

Oh heavenly dove sant down

Upon this sinful earth
That we might wear a crown;
The gift of second birth;
On gliding wing
From bright array
Where angels sing
In perfect day.

Through riven sky and air

The heavenly dove descends
Down heaven 1 s golden stair.
And soon His journey ends,
With gentle wing
And softer tread
He lights to cling
On Jesus' head,

Guide us along the way.

And woo us with Thy call,
And if we go astray

Restore us lest we fall.
Be near to bless
Unto the end
In kind caress
Be Thou our friend.

— J. I. Cover

Address: THE PILGRIM, 19201 Cherokee Rd., Tuolumne, CA 95379

LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they
are the sons of God," (Romans 8:14)

Led by the Spirit! Then we are followers* This we
can accept with a sigh of relief. If we are followers
then we can look to our Leader for the answers. We
don*t need to carry the responsibility for explaining
all the "whys", having all the understanding, giving
all the directions*, We have a Leader and He leads us
faithfully, powerfully, skillfully—if we are willing
to follow.

At this Pentecost season our thoughts turn to this
powerful Spirit in the church today, and we long to
know Him better and share His power and skill or at
least learn to be better followers. From the flood of
confusion in the world (no doubt coming from the mouth
of Satan — Revelation 12:15) we must turn to God's word
for this knowledge. The misconceptions are many.

When we think of a spirit, we may think of some-
thing not personal— an idea or a force or some strong
influence. But Jesus said He would send the Comforter
who would do certain things. He would speak; He would
show; He would glorify Jesus? He would reprove or con-
vince? and He would 'guide you into all truth". This
is the work of a person— not an idea or even a force.

Remember that God is all powerful and everywhere
present. When ", , , the Father sent the Son to be
the Saviour of the world" (I John 4:14), He was born
and became a man. This apparently was not His state
in glory with the Father,* He was not limited this way
then, but He chose to come this way for us. When
Jesus sent the Comforter (John 16:7), He did not send
Him as a man but as a Spirit to guide and live with
each one — not limited by a physical body, but "omni-
present",

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This method of His coming is demonstrated at
Pentecost when the visible tongues appeared "cloven"
or divided and sat upon each of the worshipping be-
lievers* The sound of the rushing mighty wind filling
the house where the believers were ? also signified the
presence of this mighty Spirit, The results were that
each one was filled with this Spirit, spoke with new
languages, and went forth to proclaim the Gospel of
Jesus .Christ, Peter told the multitude that day, "For
the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to
all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our
God shall call." Unlike Jesus, who, in His days of
flesh, hardly left the land of Israel, the Holy Spirit
would take up residence with all believers in every
part of the world where they might be found. We are
some of those "afar off" included in the promise.,

Ever since the Holy Spirit came, men have been try-
ing to counterfeit His power, to buy it, to accuse one
another of not having it, and in general to try to ;
counteract this Spirit of God* It is only to be ex-
pected since He is here to testify of Jesus and to
effect the work of Him who came to destroy the works
of the devil, John says that many false prophets are
gone out into the world and that we are to try the
spirits whether they are of God, The test is whether
or not that spirit confesses that Jesus Christ is come
in the flesh, Paul says in I Corinthians 12:3 that no
one can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy
Ghost and that no man speaking by the Spirit of God
calleth Jesus accursed.

In our human experience we meet people who are in-
consistent^ — and perhaps we all are too much this way.
The Holy Spirit, being a person of the Godhead, is
consistent and dependable. His gifts, His corrections,
His fruit are always good and right and true. He is
the Spirit of truth and will always lead us into truth*

Men apparently are led by some manner of spirit and
this is why we are to try the spirits, Paul mentions
the spirit of fear, the spirit of bondage and the
Spirit of adoption which is the Holy Spirit, If we
are led by one of these spirits we will show it. It

THE PILGRIM

reminds me of two of our calves that we let out on
some good grass*. They grazed at first, but when a
loud peal of thunder sounded overhead they bolted past
us for the area where we didn't want them to go* They
acted with fearo Perhaps we are like this if we are
led by the wrong spirit • If we are led by the spirit
of fear we will be fearful . If we are led by the
spirit of bondage we will not have freedom*. But if
we are led by the Holy Spirit, we will show the fruit
of this Spirit which is always good: love, joy,
peace, longsuf fering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance: against such there is no law ,
Jesus once told His disciples when they wanted to
call fire down on those who wouldn f t receive them:
M Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of* For the
Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to
save themo" (Luke 9:55,56) May we be sensitive to
this Holy Spirit sent to comfort us, guide us, and
give us power to live for God*. May He live in us to
inspire us to the right and the true and the holy

- "■••LioLpcr

THE MEANING OF REVELATION

What do we mean by revelation? Quite simply, we
mean that we may answer yes to the question, "Has God
spoken?" He has. He has made known to mankind His
nature — His holiness, His justice, His demands of
righteousness. He has also made known His goodness,
His mercy > His love, His salvation, and the way of
eternal life, Again, He has shown to man the results
of sin, of wickedness, and of disobedience. All of
this is recorded in the Bible. The Bible Is not the
accumulated result*.of the meditations of men; it is
not something they have discovered by themselves in
their search for God. Some have spoken of the Bible
as the highest attainment of men In their M upreach and
outreach" toward God. But the Bible is more "than that.
It is not the attainment of men at all... It is the
wonderful result of God's "downreach" to man...
By S. Edward Tesh in How We Got Our Bible. * #

THE PILGRIM

BIBLE DISCIPLINE

"And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he
;;till taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good
heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs*
The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and
that which was written was upright, even words of
truth* The words of the wise are as goads, and as
nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are
given from one shepherd*" (Ecclesiastes 12:9-11)

This ancient preacher of three thousand years ago
wisely prepared his sermons* He sought for words and
proverbs of truth. He found what he wanted in the
written books of Moses* They had great effect upon
his hearers as he drove them, like a carpenter his
nails, deep into the minds and hearts of his flock*
He became an under- shepherd of the one great Shepherd*
On and on he labored: now the stern preacher; now
the gentle shepherd caring for the weak and for those
inclined to go astray; but always with the same words
of truth to build obedient and effective lives for God*

The faithful shepherd passed on to his reward* But
the words of truth remained, always sharp, always
strong and ready for use* These sharp nails of truth
can still be found in the writings of Moses* They
were fastened by the "masters of assemblies" in Deuter-
onomy 27 and 28* Later prophets were to hammer these
same nails of truth into the hearts and minds of God's
people*

In our own spiritual heritage we have the names of
"comeouter" preachers from the Roman church and the
state churches* Long hidden and unused portions of
scriptures became the nails of truth for these Spirit-
anointed men and women* They risked their lives and
fortunes, and many lost both. But the words of truth
were established in written Bibles for the church and
home and also in many faithful hearts* The persecuted
church of the west finally found freedom of worship in
America*

From frontier hardships, the church passed into

THE PILGRIM

established groups with a comparative ease and com-
fortable living in a few centuries. The preachers and
shepherds of these groups found great concern over
different views of Bible discipline*,

In our freedom and ease we look for results • The
total sum appeals to our business sense* Discipline
is often thought of as correction or chastisement in-
volving the bounds of forbearance and toleration*
Church groups are often judged by what is allowed or
prohibited by the assembly* How easy it is to pass
trom searchers of the written word to be judges of one
^nether*

As Ghristian laymen, we must pray for the godly
shepherds over God's flocks and also for "the Lord of
:he harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest."
Also, each layman who has a Bible and ability to read
it incurs the responsibility and privilege to drive
eternal nails of truth into the building of a Chris-
tian testimony* The Christian assembly is usually
composed of home units where the living words of God
are taught and used as the standard for Christian
living*

Bible discipline first calls for each one to judge
himself by the words of Jesus and of the Apostles*
As disciples of Christ we will learn spiritual values*

Jesus said, "Ye must be born again." And indeed
the child must be born before it can be disciplined.
God gives gentle, loving mothers to start the disci-
plining process* Wise mothers and nurses start teach-
ing discipline the" first day of a baby's life.

Time is a disciplinary factor of life* Like the
natural, newborn child, Christ's "babes" must learn to
shape new habits into regular times* Ecclesiastes
3:1: "To every thing there is a season, and a time
to every purpose under the heaven* * *"

Whether used as noun or verb, discipline is ever
associated with instruction, education^ and training*
It has pleased God to give us His Holy Spirit to
point us to the Word of God for discipline* We are
in His likeness with the capacity to understand and

THE PILGRIM

to obey His words* He has chastisements for us when
we disobey. True children will receive the loving
discipline from a kind Father in heaven.

God's Word received by faith gives hope. Faith
with hope brings the love of Christ into the hearts
What joy! Without the joy of loving and being loved,
the disciplinary process would soon become a dreary
treadmill of constant repetition*

God has equipped man with a will to carry out de-
cisions. The first step in Christian discipline is
to seek our heavenly Father's will that we might
please Him and not ourselves* In this way we will
bring forth fruit for the Father. "Herein is my
Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall
ye be my disciples." (John 15:8)

Adversity, hardship and persecution are to deepen
and to more fully develop the disciplining process.
John 15:20: "Remember the word that I said unto you,
The servant is not greater than his lord. If they
have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if
they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also."

Correction, reproof, adversity, hardship and per-
secution are all a part of making the disciple like
his Master.

There is also the Holy Ghost disciplining within.
". . • He shall teach you all things, and bring all
things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said
unto you." (John 14:26) He is ever the reprover of
all sin; a constant rebuke to our fallen, sinful na-
tures.

Church discipline is primarily aimed at helping the
disciple to be as his Master. The first line of
church discipline is in preaching, teaching, and ex-
hortation of the words of life. Modern inventions
and modern ease of living have often served to alien-
ate brethren into dissident groups, putting a strain
on Christian love and close fellowship in Christ.
Christ's warning comes to mind, "And the cares of
this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the
lusts of other things entering in, choke the word,

8 THE PILGRIM

and it becometh unfruitful." (Mark 4:19) We lose
interest in the spiritual and temporal needs of our
fellow men and close our hearts to our brethren in
persecution.

The disciplining process is to result in the fruits
of the Spirit and also to minister to human and
spiritual need.

May God show us the need of this hour and give us
the Christ love within to care and to share. " Thy
words were founds and I did eat themg and thy word
was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for
I am called by thy name, Lord God of hosts ."

(Jeremiah 15:16)

— James Cover

Modesto , California

HE KEEPS THE KEY

Is there some problem in your life to solve ,

Some passage seeming full of mystery?
God knows , who brings the hidden things to light.

He keeps the key.

Is there some door closed by the Father 1 s hand"
Which widely opened you had hoped to see?

Trust God and wait — for when He shuts the door,
He keeps the key.

Is there some earnest prayer unanswered yet,
Or answered not. as you had thought 'twould be?

God will make clear His purpose by and by.
He keeps the key.

Have patience with your God, your patient God,
All wise, all knowing, no long tarrier He;

And of the door of all thy future life
He keeps the key.

Unfailing comfort, sweet and blessed rest,
To know of every door, He keeps the key:

That He at last, when just He sees 'tis best,
Will give it thee. Anonymous

Selected by Leona Mil^ "*

THE PILGRIM

BUILDING A HOUSE

I Every man upon the earth,

In the span between his birth ,

I And the end of life below,

Is building a house , we know.

Building poor or building well,
Building for heaven or hell;
By the Lord*s eternal plan
Or by sin with old Satan.

They who build at God ! s command,
Build a house to ever stand;
They who build at Satan ! s call,
Build a house, alas, to fall,

Jesus Christ, God's Word fulfilled,
Is the Rock on which to build;
He l s the one sure foundation
To build on for salvation!

If we build on solid rock,
Then our house will stand hard shock;
Through the storms of life secure,
It will evermore endure 1

If we build on sinking sand,
Then our house will never stand;
When life f s storms against it beat,
It will fall in great defeat I

•

Chorus:

Oh let us, each one, take heed
How we build by word and deed;
May we all then watch and pray
While we build our house todayi

— Hollis Edward Flora
Greenville, Ohio

10 THE PILGRIM

MEDITATION

CONSCIENCE AND MEMORY

These are twc vital portions of our lives. They
are so interwoven with the Spirit. We cannot add
to the Scriptures. Jesus used the power of con-
science to convict the men who brought the adulter-
ous woman to Him. Also, we are told the blood of
animals offered under the law could not clear the
con science . It required the blood of Jesus Christ ♦
(See Hebrews, chapters 9 and 10.) The apostle tells
us that baptism is not the putting away of the filth
of the fleshy but the answer of a good cons cience
toward God. (I Peter 3:21)

— Ernest Wagner

Modesto j California

GOD BLESS OUR MOTHERS

laar Lord; bless our mothers, the guardian angels of

our childhood;
The understanding and sympathetic guides of our

adolescence;
The cherished and beloved companions of our maturity.

God bless our mothers, who staunchly stand beside us
In the hour of disaster and sorrow;
Who unque stioningly believe in us when others
criticize , doubt , and forsake.

God bless our mothers who befriend us when all others

desert us;
Who ask no questions, but give freely of their love
To soothe the hurts inflicted by an unloving world.

God bless our mothers, who, even after death,
Remain enshrined in cur hearts as the dearest and

sweetest mortals we ever knew.
God bless our mothers!

— Author unknown

THE PILGRIM 11

HISTORICAL

HISTORY OF THE BIBLE

I & II SAMUEL, I & II KINGS,
I & II CHRONICLES

This large portion of the Old Testament contains
Israel 1 s history from the time of the Judges until the
nation was taken into captivity by the Babylonian army
of Nebuchadnezzar*, By this time the nation was divid-
ed into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The north-
ern kingdom of Israel was actually defeated about 120
years before Nebuchadnezzar overcame Judaho At that
time the Assyrians with their capital at Ninevah were
dominant. They took Israel (the ten tribes) captive
under Sargon II about 721 B C a The kingdom of Judah
fell to Babylon (the conquerors of Assyria) in var-
ious battles and raids from 606-586 B.C.

Eli and Samuel were the last Judges of Israel.
Samuel anointed the first kings, Saul and David.
Samuel could have written part of this first book
(It begins with his birth.), but his death is recorded
in I Samuel 28 „ The two books bear his name, no
doubt, because of his importance as a judge, prophet
and anointer of the first kings. II Samuel is a
record of David 1 s reign as king.

I and II Kings record the nation's history be-,
ginning with the death of King David and the reigip. of
his son Solomon. It describes the division of the
kingdom under ReHoboam and Jeroboam, the decline of
these nations and their eventual captivity because of
their unfaithfulness to God.

I and II Chronicles record only the history of
Judah, considered the "faithful 11 part of the divided
kingdom. Much of it had already been recorded in II
Samuel and I and II Kings. Matthew Henry has this to
say about these two books: "These books of Chronicles
are in a great measure repetition; and yet there are
no vain repetitions . We could ill spare them; for
there are many most excellent useful things in th&m?
which we find not elsewhere. • c The penman of ' L»*se

12 THE PILGRIM

books is supposed to be Ezra, that 'ready scribe in
the law of the Lord*' (Ezra 7:6) These books are
called in the Hebrew 'words of days 1 — journals or
annals, because, by divine direction, collected out of
some public and authentic records* The collection was
made after the captivity. The Septuagint calls it a
book 'of things left 1 , or overlooked, by the preceding
historians* It is the rereward, the gathering host,
of this sacred camp, which gathers up what remained,
that nothing might be lost. . ." ( Matthew Henry's
Commentary , page 434)

II Chronicles, like II Kings, closes with the down-
fall and captivity of King Zedekiah and the kingdom of
Judah* But the lasc two long verses are like the
first three of Ezra, telling of the decree of Cyrus
the Persian king urging the Israelites to return to
their land and rebuild their templeo This was given
after seventy years of captivity in Babylon* The
Medes and Persians had now conquered Babylon* And
according to God's word by Jeremiah, the Israelites
were to be allowed to return to their land and re-
build their temple* — L*C*

100 YEARS AGO

This article appeared in the February, 1883
Vindicator *

COUNSELS FOR THE YOUNG

Never be worried by trifles* If a spider breaks
his thread twenty times, twenty times will he repair
it again* Make up your mind to do a thing, and you
will do it* Fear not if troubles come upon you; keep
up your spirits, though the day be a dark one*

"Troubles never stop forever--
The darkest day will pass away*' 1

If the sun is going down, look at the stars; if
the earth is dark keep your eyes on heaven* With

THE PILGRIM 13

God's promise a man or a child may be cheerful*

"Never despair when fog's in the air!
A sunshiny morning will come without
warning*"

Mind what you run after* Never be content with a
bubble that will burst, or a firework that will end
in smoke and darkness- Get that which you can keep,
and which is worth keeping*

"Something sterling, that will stay
When gold and silver fly away."

Fight hard against a hasty temper* Anger will
come, but resist stoutly,, A spark may set a house
on fire, A fit of passion may give you cause to
mourn all the days of your life* Never revenge an
injury*

"He that revengeth knows no rest,
The meek possess a peaceful breast*"

If you have an enemy, act kindly to him, and make
him your friend. You may not win him over at once,
but try again* Let one kindness be followed by an-
other until you have compassed your end* By little,
great things are completed*

"Water falling day by day,
Wears the hardest rock away*"

And so repeated kindness will soften a heart of
stone*

Whatever you do, do it willingly* A boy that is
whipped to school, never learns his lessons well* A
man that is compelled to work, cares not how badly it
is performed* He that pulls off his coat cheerfully,
strips up his sleeves in earnest, and sings while he
works, is the man for me*

"A cheerful spirit gets on quick;
A grumbler in the mud will stick*"

Evil thoughts are worse enemies than lions and
tigers, for we can keep out of the way of wild beasts.

THE PILGRIM

14 ,

but bad thoughts win their way everywhere. The cup
that is full of good thoughts, bad thoughts find no
room to enter*

"Be on your guard and strive and pray
To drive all evil thoughts away*"

--Selected by John Schonwald

AS I GO ON MY WAT

My life shall touch a dozen lives

before this day is done,
Leave countless marks for good or ill

ere sets this evening sun.
Shall fair or foul its imprint prove

on those my life shall hail?
Shall benison my impress be?

or shall a blight prevail?

When to the last great reckoning

the lives I meet must go,
Shall this wee, fleeting touch of mine

have added joy or woe?
Shall He who looks their records o T er —

of name and time and place —
Say, "Here a blessed influence came, n

From out each point of contact

of my life with other lives
Flows ever that which helps the one

who for the summit strives,
The troubled souls encountered —

does it sweeten with its touch?
Or does it more embitter those

embittered overmuch?

Does love in every hand clasp flow

in sympathy 1 s caress?
Do those that I have greeted know

a newborn hopefulness?

THE PILGRIM

Are tolerance and charity

the keynote of my song?
As I go plodding onward with earth ! s

eager and anxious throng?

My life shall touch a million lives

in some way ere I go
From this dear world of struggles

to the land I do not knew;
So this the wish I always wish,

the prayer I ever pray:
Let my life help the other lives

it touches by the way.

Selected by Bertie Baker

ANNUAL MEETING NOTICE

The Annual Meeting of the Old Brethren Church will
be held, the Lord willing, on May 20, 21, and 22 at the
Salida, California, meeting house. Friday will be
council day; en Saturday and Sunday (Pentecost), there
will be public preaching; and on Saturday evening, the
Communion service. A hearty invitation and welcome is
extended to all our members and friends to attend.

« — Joseph L. Cover

BAPTISMS

We rejoiced with the angels when two more precious-
souls, Jolene Huffman and Martha Wagner, were baptised
April 17, 1983.

— Hcllis Flora

■

MARRIAGE

COVER* — SKIIES Jerry Cover and Martha Skiles were
married on May 7, 19&3, near Wakarusa, Indiana,

New address: 1929 2 Cherokee Rd.

Tu#lumne, Calif, 95379

16 CHILDREN'S PAGE

"Lessons From Nature" Series

THUNDER

Johnny 1 s Thunderstorm

In dark of night , when people sleep,
The clouds come stealing o'er the fields
And Crash! a thunder shakes the ground
And flashing lightning flares around,
And little Johnny stirs his head,
And tries to sleep within his bed*

But Boo-o-m-m! and Crash! The heavens shout

In solemn majesty of noisej

And arcs of current light the skies

As Johnny opens wide his eyes.

The daggered streakings split the black,

Accompanied by the thundercrack*

Within his home no voice is heard
As Johnny cringes in his bed*
But soon all courage fails the mite,
A-scattered through this noisy night,
And from his room he's quick to trot
"To Mother's arms where storms are not,

Elihu once told Job that "God thundereth marvelous-
iy with His voice" (Job 37:5a); not just small boys
but hardened sinners should fear at this terrific dis-
play of God's power. The voice of His thunder is
small compared to the final noise at the end of the
\tforld when the powers of the heavens will be shaken,

God's children, "though, will have a refuge . If we
run to God, He has promised to keep us safe from harnu
--Stanle y K« Brubaker

NGN-PROFIT ORG* -BULK RATE-U<> So POSTAGE Pa ID- PERMIT #10
THE PILGRIK Sonora, Calif.

192G1 Cherokee Rdo
Tuolumne, Calif •
55379

THE PILGRIM

VOL. 30 JUNE, 1983 NO. 6

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." i Peter 2: n

GOD, OUR DWELLING PLACE

Our God, our help in ages past,

Our hope for years to come;
Our shelter from the stormy blast,

And our eternal home:

Under the shadow of Thy throne

Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,

And our defence is sure.

Before the hills in order stood, " •

Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,

To endless years the same.

Thy word commands our flesh to dust,

"Return, ye sons of men l M
All nations rose from earth at first,

And turn to earth again.

The busy tribes of flesh and blood,

With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downward by the flood,

And lost in,, following years.

A thousand ages, in Thy sight,

Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night,

Before the rising sun.

By Isaac Watts

Selected by Amos Baker

Address: THE PILGRIM, 19201 Cherokee Rd., Tuolumne, CA 95379

GETTING THE SALT OUT OF THE SALT SHAKER

What happens to us when we accept Christ as our
Savior and are saved? Probably most any believer
could give a good answer which probably would include
the following:

--Our sins are forgiveno

--We have an Advocate Who pleads our case with the

Father.
--We have the promise of eternal life in heaven

with Jesus*
--Satan no longer has a claim on our lives.
--We become - new creatures.
--We are indwelled with the Holy Ghost and the

power which comes with Him*
Of the above answers, I find the last one espe-
cially interesting—that we receive spiritual power*
Power for what purpose? Again, several answers might
apply:

— Power to pray

--Power to turn from sin

--Power to put others before self and to love those

who hate us
--Power to heal the sick and perform miracles if
it be God's will* The Scripture teaches us
that we have the same Spirit that raised Jesus
from the dead, that stilled the raging waters
and caused a little girl to live again*

Obviously, the power God indwells in us when we are
saved is awesome* I doubt He intends for many of us
to exhibit the last quality mentioned above* But if
God has given us this power, and He has, then why?
Why has He made us into a new creature? Why?

Perhaps Acts 1:8 can give some insight. It reads,
,! But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost
is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me

THE PILGRIM

both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria,
and unto the uttermost part of the earth* 11

God gives each believer his own special gift and
calling perhaps as unique as our fingerprint. How-
ever, the power of the Holy Ghost gives us one re-
sponsibility in common--one commission He expects us
all to perform. Namely, He gives all believers the
ability and responsibility to witness of our Lord
Jesus. This gift is designed to give our Lord the one
fruit He expects from us all--SOULS.

The Lord expects each one of His children to, if
not actually lead an unbeliever into making a decision
for Jesus, then at least to allow His power to plant
the seed and fertilize it through us.

The ability to be a powerful witness for Christ is
developed through the study of God's Word and applying
it in our lives.

We can praise God that while we are growing in the
Lord we can be effective witnesses by the way we act,
dress, and by the places we go and with whom we asso-
ciate. This is passive witnessing. There comes a *.
point, however, when we graduate. Then we must heed
Jesus 1 command, as Peter did, to go "feed my sheep" —
win souls.

Again we can be thankful that we need not travel
far to fulfill this commission.

— We can fulfill it at the front door as we speak

to those who come to our home.
--The gift can be exercised as we speak with the

children who play with our children.
--We can witness to those with whom we work and

meet during the day*
--Perhaps God wants us to work in a local nursing
home, a rescue-mission, or a voluntary service
program.
These are examples of active witnessing. God ex-
pects us to grow as we walk with Him. Active wit-
nessing is one of the ways that God's children shox^
their maturity.

Just as the young eagle must sometime spread its
wings, stand at the edge of its nest and launch irnelS.

THE PILGRIll

from the security of its home into the vastness of an
unknown element, so must we«

We have nothing to fear as we take flight, "For God
hath not given us the spirit of fear g but of power ,
and of love, and of a sound mind." (II Timothy 1 s 7 )

God has called His children the salt of the earth*
But remember, salt does no good while it is still in
the salt shaker. Through our active witnessing God
is able to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ as He
intended.

--John Schonwald

Modesto, California

BEARING RECORD

n And he that saw it bare record, and his record is
trues and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might
believe." (John 19:35)

John wrote this after he saw that Jesus fulfilled
in detail at least three specific prophecies regarding
His death on the cross. He told what he saw and knew.
This is in essence what every believer should also do:
bear true record regarding the work of the Saviour,
our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only should we "bear re-
cord" but we should bear it with the earnest desire
that the hearers or readers might believe. We sense
this desire in John's testimonyo

Through the centuries men have recorded and retold
what they saw and heard of the Lord. Enoch, according
to Jude, testified of the Lord's coming with ten thou-
sand saints to execute judgment . Noah was "a preacher
of righteousness" in his time "when the wickedness of
man was great in the earthJ' The prophet Amos wrote
(3t 7, 8), "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he
revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God
hath spoken, who can but prophesy?" He also said he
wasn't a prophet but a farmer, an ordinary man like
the rest of us. "And the Lord took me as I followed
the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy

THE PILGRIM

unto my people Israel. Now therefore hear thou the
word of the Lord. . .» (7:15,15) So have faithful men
of all ages born record in their times.

John the Baptist had a particularly important tes-
timony. He was to testify of the Lamb of God and ac-
tually point Him out. He evidently had received this
commission directly from God Who told him what to look
for. John 1:32-34 says, "And John bare record, saying,
I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove,
and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he
that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto
me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending,
and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth
with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that
this is the Son of God."

Peter and John told the council when they commanded
them not to teach or speak in the name of Jesus,
"Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken
unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot
but speak the things which we have seen and heard ."
(Acts 4:19,20)

lie have many of the testimonies of God's faithful
witnesses collected together as God's Word to us. We
are to believe this record. Have you ever told of an
event that you saw happen and had your listener say,
"I don't believe it"? Perhaps you told it convincing-
ly, really expecting to be believed. What an insulti
And what an insult to God and to His record bearers if
we refuse to believe!

Paul wrote to Timothy (II Timothy 2:2), "And the
things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses,
the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able
to teach others also." This is the way the Gospel was
spread. Notice Paul told Timothy to commit these
things to faithful men. A faithful man, one who is
known to tell only the truth, will more often be be-
lievedo This is most important in our ox^n testimonies.
If we are known to exaggerate or tell untruths, others
will tend to doubt when we do tell something vital and
true,

THE PILGRIM

T'le all know the story of the boy who cried "VJolf!"
Herding the sheep alone and wanting excitement and
attention, he gave the alarm that a wolf had come af-
ter the sheep . Everyone came running to help, but
there was no wolf Q He did this enough times that when
the wolf really did come and he gave the alarm, no one
believed him or responded*. It is important that our
word be consistent and always the truth as we under-
stand it.

This principle is demonstrated in the business
worldo Some, in hope of making a sale, tend to ex-
aggerate the virtues of their merchandise or services.
Some may believe all the claims., but eventually the
truth will be known, and the reputation of the salesman
will suffer. But if one is always consistent to tell
things like they are, men will trust him, take his
advice, and believe his word. In Proverbs 2Gsl4
Solomon tells of the hypocrisy of those selling and
buying^ If It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer:
but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth." This
inconsistency in business is almost expected, but it
is not expected of Christian people. Just recently a
man gave as his excuse for not being in the church,
the failure of some professed Christians to pay their
bills. He was in business and knew some who could do
better. He said, ,5 I will not be a hypocrite! I'd
rather be a sinner than a hypocrite!" Of course, we
know that to be either one is an insult to God when
He has provided the way to be forgiven and to be made
a new creature in Christ. And so our testimony must
be true and our lives consistent.

Besides being consistent and truthful, our testi-
mony must be with love. Paul is a good example of
one with a loving testimony. Hear him writing to the
saints at Philippi (4:1): "Therefore, my brethren
dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so
stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved." When we
warn, may it be with true love and hope for deliver-
ance« Hay we not condemn or tear down, but may we
lovingly beseech and plead as we would counsel our
son or daughter or best friend.

THE PILGRIM

John, the author of our verse, empha sizes this
love (which comes from God through the Spirit) in ail
his writings. He evidently wrote toward the close of
the first century and near the end of his own life,
and he lived long* We find him still n bearing re-
cord". In I John 5:11-13 he writes, "And this is the
record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and
this life is in his Son, He that hath the Son hath
life | and he that hath not the Son of God hath not
life. These things have I written unto you that be-
lieve on the name of the Son of God 5 that ye may know
that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on
the name of the Son of God." Wouldn't it be wonder-
ful if everyone would believe this record? Hay we,
too, faithfully "bear record" to what Jesus Christ
has done for us. --L.C.

HERE All I- -SERVE ME

James and John wanted to be ministered unto. They
wanted the chief places in Christ f s kingdom. (Hark 10:
35-37) Uhen the others heard it, they were indignant.
That was what they wanted.

"Jesus called them to him." (Mark 10:42) Can you
sense the tenderness and pathos in His voice?

Earthly rulers, He told them, exercise lordship
over others: "But so shall it not be among you: but
whosoever will be great among you, shall be your min-
ister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest,
shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man
came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and
to give his life a ransom for many " (Mark 10:42-45)

Jesus did not incidentally minister; He came to
minister—it was His set purpose. The Son of Man
"came not to be ministered unto "

This desire to be ministered to is at the bottom
of disagreements in the nursery, fights at school,
quarrels at home, even wars among nations. And unfor-
tunately, this spirit also prevails in the church*
As Christians, we fail to realize how much sin an 1

8 THE PILGRIM

failure, vexation and discontent, discord and un-
happiness emerge from our desire to be ministered to*

Ue become cross and indignant. We exhibit our
temper. Sometimes we may exercise restraint — but our
anger remains, Why?

lie want to be ministered to--by people, circum-
stances, fortune ("luck"), weather, • • We've been
brought up to expect it. And if we are thwarted, as
we often are, we get sulky, moody, nervous. In the
end, we make ourselves and others miserable.

Can you relate to any of the following situations?

* You feel ignored, brushed aside . Your employer
or employee doesn f t show you proper consideration, A
neighbor doesn't treat you with respect. You're left
feeling upset. Did the harsh feelings come because
you were deprived of the privilege to minister? No 5
they came because your rights, talents, position,
dignity and importance were not reeognizedo You came
to be ministered to but received nothing*,

* A friend is praised or does better than you.
The honor, success, money, popularity, reward have
gone to hips but you wanted it. Because he has been
ministered to and not you, you are jealous,

* You've been kind to someone, rendering him a
service that cost you something. Naturally, you
thought your goodness would be appreciated. But it
wasn't^ at least not as much as you thought it should
have been, Uhile you expected profuse thanks, your
friend took it cooly. You are disgusted. You wish
you hadn't helped him. In your haste, you feel half
inclined to say you'll never again do anybody a kind-
ness, T;hy? You've ministered to someone, but you
haven't been ministered to«

* You're a person of excellent taste and sound
judgment. But your advice has been ignored--perhaps
it wasn't even asked for. Because you're an authority
in that area, you can't understand why you weren't
consulted. Your spirit is ruffled. Is the problem
that your friend has now gotten himself into a sad
mess? No, not at all. In fact, he hj.z managed very

THE PILGRlil

nicely without your help* The trouble is, you have
not been acknowledged* Your reputation has not been
ministered to c

* You spoke in church on a special occasion., A
good audience assembled, including a well-known and
influential Christian man. At the close of the ser-
vice, you felt extremely pleased with yourself and
naturally expected your honored visitor to thank you
"for such an interesting and moving message." But he
quietly walked out. How disappointed you were. You
had the opportunity to minister to many people* But
in your heart you wanted the message to minister to
you.

* You are a professional, a successful businessman
or woman. But your success has fallen short of your
expectations. Daily it troubles you. Your desire
for self-gratification has been thwarted. Again, you
were not ministered to.

* You competed in a race in school and were beaten.
For weeks you never smiled. You had wanted the race
to minister to yourself, for people to point to you
and say, "He has achieved." To this day a bad feel-
ing haunts you. Uhen beaten, you cannot enjoy the
satisfaction of knowing that you have been the means
of ministering to the x^inner.

* You were engaged in Christian xtfork as a Sunday
school teacher or church officer. But now you feel
led to take a sabbatical. What prompted your deci-
sion? Has your health failed? Are home duties more
pressing? Has your opportunity to minister been with-
drawn? No, none of these. You're tired of it. You
thought it would interest you, give you a position in
the church. You thought you would like it, and you
did—for a while. As long as it ministered to you,
you were willing to continue.

* You are sharing an apartment with a friend. Your
mutual happiness is interrupted by little jars. You
are quick, but your friend is slow. You are econom-
ical, but your friend is extravagant. You are punc-
tual, but your friend is tardy* You are tidy 5 but

10 THE PILGRIM

your friend is sloppy* You face constant tension*
Why? Because your desire to have things your own way
is not ministered to*

* Or perhaps you are a free-and-easy person* You
become annoyed because your happy-go-lucky way is not
ministered to*

It's amazing what little things we let disturb us.
It's rainingo A visitor drops by just as you're about
to leave* The answer to your letter still hasn't
come. Your request is denied*

You're interrupted in the middle of an interesting
book. A pen won't write*, Your dress doesn't fit.
The fire won't burn*, Dinner is late* The children
are noisy*

If our happiness depends on our being ministered
tc, we'll soon be fretting and fuming*.

But ministering to another yields an entirely dif-
ferent result* "It is more blessed to give than to
receive." (Acts 20:35) In other words, we are happier
to minister than to be ministered to. Furthermore,
it is far more noble: "Uho soever will be chief among
you, let him by your servant." (Matthew 20:27)

A word of caution, however* The Lord Jesus does
not encourage us to be like Stoics, denying our feel-
ings. Ke will always experience annoyances and dis-
appointments. But they need not upset us*

Christ has already set the pace for us* He was so
busy thinking of others that He had no time to think
of Himself. But He is not saying we are never to be
ministered to, always to be slighted, never to meet
with success or reward* No harm comes from being
ministered to. The Lord Himself was often ministered
to, and He expressed His appreciation. The danger
comes in always wanting to be served instead of serv-
ing others.

At the bottom of the trouble, in all its ramifica-
tions, is self. This old enemy must be reckoned dead*
Every time something goes wrong we are given a fresh
opportunity to remember we have died with Christ*
But reckoning self dead is not enough* Christ lives,
and we can live in newness of life in Him*

THE PILGRIM 11

In our tiny measure, God gives us opportunity to
devote our life to the glory of God, We get to come
to our world for the same reason Christ came c As
Christ lives His life in us, we're able to come fresh
at each day--not to be ministered to, but to minister.

By J. Ho Horsburgh
From Moody Monthly

Selected by Kenneth Martin

THE T' 7 ILL OF GOD

Laid on Thine altar, my Lord Divine,

Accept my gift this day, for Jesus 1 sake;
I have no jewels to adorn Thy shrine,

Nor any world-famed sacrifice to make;
But here I bring within my trembling hands

This will of mine, a thing that seemeth small,
Yet Thou alone , Lord, canst understand

How, when I yield Thee this, I yield Thee all.

Hidden therein, Thy searching gaze can see

Struggles of passion, visions of delight,
All that I have, or fain would be.

Deep loves, fond hopes, and longings infinite:
It hath been wet with tears, and dimmed with sighs,

Clenched in my grasp, till beauty hath it none:
Now from Thy footstool, where it vanquished lies,

The prayer ascandeth, "May Thy will be done.' 1

Take it, Father, ere my courage fail,

And merge it so in Thine own, that e'en
If in some desperate hour my cries prevail,

And Thou ?ive back my gift, it may have been
So changed, so purified, so far have grown,

So one with Thee, so filled with love Divine,
I may not know or feel it as my own,

But gaining back my will, may find it Thine.

— Author unknown

THE PILGRIM

HISTORICAL
HISTORY OF THE BIBLE

EZRA, NEHEMIAH, ESTHER

These three books conclude the "historical 11 section
of the Old Testament. The events described take place
after the Babylonian captivity continuing the account
from the Chronicles,, We give here short paragraphs
on each concerning dates and writers, all from the
Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary , Merrill Co
Tenney, General Editor;

EZRA

n The Book of Ezra is so named because Ezra is the
principal person mentioned in it; possibly also be-
cause he may be its author*, It does not in its en-
tirety claim to be the work of Ezra, but Jewish tradi-
tion says it is by him„ «, « Ezra's ministry is to be
placed during the reign of Artaxerxes I (476-424 B«C«)

'The Book of Ezra continues the narrative after
Chronicles, and tells the story of the return from
Babylon and the rebuilding of the temple* <, *

n As sources for the writing of the book, the author
used genealogical lists, letters, royal edicts, mem-
oirs and chronicles* Some of these were official
documents found in public records* This diversity of
material accounts for the varied character of the
style and the fact that it is written in both Hebrew
and Aramaic, * *

"The period covered is from 536 BoC« when the Jews
returned to Jerusalem, to 458 B«C when Ezra came to
Jerusalem to carry out his religious reforms* It
thus covers a period of about 73 years, although the
15 years between 535 and 520 and the 58 years between
516 and 458 are practically a blank; so that we have
a description of selected incidents, and not a con-
tinuous record of the period*"

NEHEMIAH

"The Book of Nehemiah closes the history of the

THE PILGRIM 13

Biblical (Old Testament) record* Closely allied to
the Book of Ezra, it was attached to it in the old
Jewish reckoning. It gives the history and reforms
of Nehemiah the governor from 444 to about 42G B.C."

(Nehemiah is obviously the writer of this book*,
He had a responsible position as n cupbearer M to King
Artaxerxes and was appreciated and trusted by this
king* The king granted Nehemiah 1 s request to be sent
to Jerusalem to rebuild "the city of my fathers' sep-
ulchres". -LoCo)

"Nehemiah was a man of ability, courage, and ac-
tion, Arriving at Jerusalem, he first privately sur-
veyed the scene of rubble (2:1-16), and encouraged the
rulers at Jerusalem with his report of answered prayer
and the granting of the king's new decree (2:18) »
Then he organized the community to carry out the ef-
fort of rebuilding the broken-down wall. Courageously
and squarely he met the opposition of men like San-
ballat, Tobiah, and Geshem (who are all now known from
non-Biblical documents) and at last he saw the wall
completed in the brief span of 52 days (6:15)."

(Nehemiah and Ezra were contemporary, but Ezra re-
corded events beginning with the first return from
Babylon some years before his time. Nehemiah as gov-
ernor and Ezra as scribe worked together to institute
much needed reforms in Israelo --L„C )

ESTHER

"The Book of Esther is the last of the historical
books of the Old Testaments It was written after the
death of King Ahasuerus (1G:2)« Most scholars agree
that Ahasuerus was Xerxes who reigned 485 BoC. to 465
B.C. Probably the book was written about 400 B.C C
The author is unknown, but it is evident from the de-
tails of the story that he was well acquainted with
the Persian court life. The book of Esther has always
been accepted as canonical by the Jews. . •

"Outstanding peculiarities of the book are the com-
plete absence of the name of God; the lack of any di-
rect religious teaching; and no mention of prayer.

14 THE PILGRIii

These remarkable features can have occurred only by
deliberate design. Probably the book was written for
the Jews in the Persian empire as a story which could
be circulated without danger of offending the people
of that land who ruled over many Jews. 11

1GG YEARS AGO

This interesting poem was published in the August,
1883 Vindicator , The author was not named, but it
was selected by "CoLoC*", possibly Oliver Cover,,

A IIETAPIIORICAL SHpM OF B f S
WORTH HAVING

B patient, B prayerful, B humble, B mild,

B wise as a Solon, B meek as a child;

B studious, B thoughtful, B loving, B kind,

B sure you make matter subservient to mind e

B cautious, B prudent, B trustful, B true;

B courteous to all men, B friendly with few„

B temperate in argument, pleasure and wine;

B careful of conduct, of money, of time,

B cheerful, B grateful, B hopeful, B firm,

B peaceful, B nevolent — willing to learn;

B courteous, B gentle, B liberal, B just,

B gentle, B humble, B cause thou art dust c

B penitent, circumspect, sound in the faith;

B active, devoted, B faithful till death;

B honest, B holy, transparent and pure;

B dependent, B Christ-like and you 1 11 B secure,,

--Selected by John Schonwald

If For a just man falleth seven times and riseth up
again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. n

— Proverbs 24:16

Through all our difficulties, God will be with us
and lift us up — if we are His. Even a small setback
of the wicked is disastrous because he has no helper. -I.

THE PILGRIM 15

ELECTIONS

On April 30, 1983, the Eastern District of the Old
Brethren Church held a special council. Brother
Claude Boone was advanced to the eldership and
Brother Stanley Brubaker was advanced to the second
degree of the ministry. May they and their companions,
Carol and Janice, have the guidance of the Holy Spirit
in their new duties.

— Melvin Coning

On the afternoon of May 20, 1983 > during our Annual
Meeting, the Salida Congregation assembled to elect
a new minister. Lloyd Wagner was chosen and installed.
May both he and his wife Beth be faithful servants of
the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.

— Joseph L. Cover

BAPTISM

We of the Salida Congregation rejoiced greatly when
another precious soul, Ben Cover, was received into
our fellowship June 12 by a public confession of faith
in Jesus Christ and Holy Baptism. May he be faithful
and helpful in the kingdom of God.

—Joseph L. Cover

j ! MEDITATION

PATIENCE AND ENDURANCE. I will cite some Scrip-
tures which I believe helpful to understand their
importance: Romans*, chapter 5, verses 3 to 5
Hebrews, chapter 12
James, chapter 1, verses 2 to 5
Revelation, chapter 3> verses 19 to 22
I will not attempt to copy these Scriptures as I be-
lieve the original texts are the safest guide, elimi-
nating any chance of mistakes.

— Ernest Wagner

16 CHILDREN'S PAGE

"Lessons From Nature" Series
FAMILY JOYS

After watching our nest of robins for about two
weeks, we were finding it rather humorous how crowded
the nest was becoming. The little mud bowl that had
been so large around the bright blue eggs and newly-
hatched young birds soon became too small for four
growing robins* Soon came the Saturday when we saw
the birds almost stacked on top of each other (they
were that big), and we watched them slip over the side
of the nest one by one till the mud bowl was empty,,

It makes us think of the sx^ift passing of time:
how soon the family joys that we take for granted
today will be gone. Children will leave our nest, and
a certain wonderful part of our life will be gone*
Here is a poem written a few years ago about some of
these simple family joys:

Incomparentable!

Some things there are that won't be matched:

Like braids with little girls attached;

A little son with tousled head|

An infant, innocent, in bed;

A little daughter's learning lisp,

Her flashing smile and cherub kiss;

An eager energetic lad

Who pleads, "Can I go with you, Dad?"
Yes, these are gifts so grand and good
That God reserved for Parenthood.

Yes, and the same gifts that make parents so joy-
ful can make happy children too, in happy homes *

--Stanley K. Brubaker

LION-PROFIT ORG. -BULK KATE-U. S* POSTAGE PAID- PERMIT #10
THE PILGRIM Sonora, Calif.

192G1 Cherokee Road
Tuolumne, Calif.
95379

THE PILGRIM

VOL, 30 JULY, 1983 NO, 7

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." / Peter 2:11

TEACH ME TO BE TRUE

Be with me, Lord, each passing hour,

And make me pure and true;
Teach me to ne*er refuse Thy call,

What e'er Thou bidd'st me do*

Thou seest, dear Lord, my path in life;

f Tis Thine to guide the way,
f Tis mine obedience, Lord, to yield,

And follow day by day*

I would not ask to look beyond

The present hour, Lord,
Enough for me to hold Thy hand,

And take Thee at Thy word.

Full well I know Thou canst not err,

So I will never fear,
But in the darkest gloom of night,

Still feel Thy presence near.

Chorus:

Where e'er Thou biddst me go, dear Lord,

What e'er Thou bidd'st me do,
Make me obedient to Thy will,

And teach me to be true.

— M. Victor Staley

Address: THE PILGRIM, 19201 Cherokee Rd., Tuolumne, CA 95379

FABLES

Have you ever thought of a fable as a harmful
thing? Probably most people think of Aesop's collec-
tion of stories when they hear of fables. Many of
them are harmless little tales in which animals act
and talk and sometimes even teach a lesson* But fa-
bles in the broader meaning can be harmful, especially
if we have a steady diet of them — like trying to make
sawdust our main food instead of wheat; after awhile
our bodies would show the effects of the poor nutri-
tion.

In Paul's references to fables, they are labeled as
most harmful since they are used as the opposite of
the truth* "And they shall turn away their ears from
the truths and shall be turned unto fables." (II Tim-
othy 4:4) He wrote this to Timothy describing the
time to come in which sound doctrine would lose out in
popularity ? and men would follow those who told them
what they wanted to hear.

So what is really meant in the New Testament by
fables? 4 fable is by definition u a narrative in
which animals and inanimate objects of nature are made
to act and speak as if they are human beings. 11 The.
Jews of that tima had many of these. The word is
translated from the Greek "muthos" meaning myth or
fiction-- something not true. Myths were usually asso-
ciated with man's beliefs. Many were old and consid-
ered by some reliable and true though the origin might
be unknowjn and the content quite fantastic. With this
in mind w?e can see why Paul was concerned that Timothy
and Titus teach sound doctrine and stay with the truth
and not give heed to Jewish fables.

Why theft do we need warning against fables today?
Do we not Jknow better than to believe those old myths?
Hasn't evern science taught us beyond this gullibility
of bellev£n i g everything we hear? Yas, bat Satan's

THE PILGRIM

modern counterpart of fables takes a different turn.
Much of what is written and sold as books today is
fable or fiction. Few would pretend that there is
truth in it. Look at the titles and pictures of the
books on any drug store or grocery book stand. The
danger is not in the readers 1 believing this trash is
true but in substituting it for the truth.

Such is the amount of fiction produced today that
it could possibly qualify as the fulfillment of Rev-
elation 12:15,16: "And the serpent cast out of his
mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might
cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the
earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth,
and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out
of his mouth. " The world (earth?) in general is
swallowing the flood of fiction in all its various
forms: books, plays, shows, short stories, science
fiction. One man told me that the science fiction
field currently offers the most opportunity for a be-
ginning fiction writer.

As stated before, the danger for Christians is not
that they will believe this flood of material but that
in their reading they will substitute it for the truth.
Fiction places no obligation to be believed or acted
upon. It is entertainment. It is usually easy read-
ing. It is usually absorbing and hard to quit read-
ing--therefore all the more attractive and tempting.

Truth requires action or decision. Especially the
truth of God places obligation on the reader. It
tells us of our duty. It tells us what we are — guilty,
in need of our Saviour. It tells us to forsake the
carnal, attractive "fun" things of this world and get
serious about the truth. No wonder fiction is more
appealing. Until we get sight of the great value in
the truth--until we love it--we may have a struggle.
But this struggle is worthwhile. When we really com-
mit our lives to God and becbme new creatures in
Christ, our desires and appetites will change, and we
will hunger and thirst for the things that are true
and lasting.

Again, the danger in fiction or fables is in sub-

THE PILGRIM

stituting it for the truth in our reading* A steady
I diet of novels and plays or shows, though obviously
r. . untrue, plants in the mind (especially the young mind)
false views of life* Who could be content with an
"ordinary" romance and marriage when you have read
about so many glamorous ones in fiction? In much of
the fiction, life is glamorized in such a way that
routine tasks or chores in real living seem dull and
without thrill. In stories the hero may not be
righteous* Evil triumphs in fiction* Many times
good morals and sound teaching are ridiculed* History
is distorted* Values are txvisted. Sawdust instead
of wheat in the diet is perhaps too mild* Poison in
our food would better represent much of the reading
available today.

What is the answer? Positive emphasis on the
truth. Let the world have the trash* Seek out good
reading for yourself and your children* Center your
mental meals around the Word of God as the main
course* Cut out the poison* I have read enough poor
reading to know that it can remain in. the memory a
long time* But so can the truth if we seek it and
love it.

Peter says, "For we have not followed cunningly
devised fables, when we made known unto you the power
and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-
witnesses of his majesty**' (II Peter 1:16) Those
Bible writers wrote what they saw and knew to be true*
Hay we more and more build our lives and our faith on
the truth of God in His Word* — L*C«

KEPT BY THE POU21 OF GOD

We are told by the writer of Hebrews, "Therefore
we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things
which we have heard, lest at any time we should let
them slip* For if the word spoken by angels was sted-
fast, and every transgression and disobedience re-
ceived a just recompence of reward^ How chall we es-
cape, if we neglect so great salvation vhich at the

THE PILGRIM

first began to be-spoken by the Lord, and was con-
firmed unto us by them that heard himj God also
bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders,
and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost,
according to his own will?" (Hebrews 2:1-4)

I see in the above scripture the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit in agreement as One*

Paul tells us in the first chapter to the Romans
(v. 16,17), "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ ; for it jis the power of God unto sal vation to
every one that believethj to the Jew first, and also
to the Greek, For therein (the gospel) _is the right -
eousnes s of God revealed from faith to faith: as it
is written, The just shall live by faith*"

"By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out
into a place which he should after receive for an in-
heritance, obeyed^ and he went out, not knowing whith-
er he wentp" (Hebrews 11:8) Can we walk by faith
seeking a better country which holds untold treasures
for the faithful? We can't comprehend what it will
be like, it will be so beautiful in all ways*.

Salvation is a great inclusive word of the gospel-
Salvation is by grace, through faith, to the believer
in Jesus Christ* Salvation is offered to every person
as Peter said after the Holy Spirit had come upon them,
even to them afar off*

When Paul was brought before King Agrippa and was
permitted to speak for himself he said, "And now I
stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made
of God unto our fathers: Unto which promise our
twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night,
hope to come* For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I
am accused of the Jews*" (Acts 26:6,7) The voice had
said to Paul as the light from heaven blinded him,
"But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have ap-
peared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a
minister and a witness both of these things which thou
hast s .nn, and of those things in the which I will ap-
pear unto thees Delivering thee from the people, and
from the Gentiles, unto whom I now send thee, To opon

THE PILGRIM

their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may
receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among
them which are sanctified by faith that is in me,"
(Acts 26:16-18)

"Paul (was) a servant of Jesus Christ, called to
be an apostle, separated unto the gospe l of God ,
(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the
holy scriptures,) Con c erning his Son Jesus Christ our
Lord, which was made of the seed of David according
to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with
power, according to the spirit of -holiness, by the
resurrection from the dead*' 1 (Romans 1:1»4)

Paul testified that he was saying "none other
things than those which the prophets and Moses did say
should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he
should be the first that should rise from the dead,
and should shew light unto the people, and to the
Gentiles." (Acts 26:22*23) This is the gospel of
Christ, and it is given to all people, that all have
the opportunity to come to the knowledge of the truth
and live*

Paul testified to the Colossian saints and faith-
ful brethren that he did not cease to pray for them
and desired that they "might be filled with the know-
ledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual under-
standings That (they) might walk worthy of the Lord
unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work,
and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened
with all might, according to his glorious power, unto
all patience and longsuf f ering with joyfulriess; Giving
thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and
hath translated us into the kingdom of his d?ar Son;
In whom we have redemption through his blooc, even
the forgiveness of sins " (Colossians 1:9-14) What a
glorious gospel Paul preached! And it is the same
gospel for us today*,

If we willingly follow the preaching of this glori-
ous gospel, we are translated into tlifi kingdom of his

THE PILGRIM

dear Son, out of the power of darkness into light,
out of the power of Satan into the power of God. We
don't have to let Satan have power over us because
the promise is we can walk in the light of Jesus and
be redeemed by His precious blood shed on Calvary for
all men who will repent and be separated unto God,

Jesus said to Mary, l! I am the resurrection, and the
life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead,
yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth
in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 1 ' (John
11:25,26)

"For as the Father hath life in himself^ so hath
he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath
given him authority to execute judgment also, because
he is the Son of Man. Marvel not at this; for the
hour is coming, in the which all that are in the
graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth;
they that have done good, unto the resurrection of
life; and they that have done evil, unto the resur-
rection of damnation." (John 5:26-29)

May we willingly serve our Lord Jesus Christ that
we may be kept by the power of God through faith unto
salvation«-"Receiving the end of your faith, even the
salvation of your souls*" (I Peter 1:9)

--Mary Lavy

Camden, Indiana

A WORSHIP SERVICE IN BRAZIL

We give each of you an invitation to attend a wor-
ship service with us in Brazil. Since that is an im-
possibility for some of you, maybe you can attend with
us in Spirit and try to imagine the setting here.

We don't have a church building here, but we do
have some people that are searching and wanting to
hear the Word of God and find the real peace which
only God can give. So we have our services in dif-
ferent homes.

Our worship service will be at a widow's tome this
time by the name of Maria (or Mary in EngK' '*• Zhe

8 THE P ILGRIM ___

lives in what we call the poorer section of town
where the people have built wood slab homes on govern-
ment property* Maria has a two-room home of wood
slabs, tile roof 3 and dirt floor* There are no win-
dows in this house and the light comes through the
cracks between the wood slabs and the two doors * The
kitchen where we have the services has a table, cup-
board, a couple of chairs, and a Brazilian wood cook
stove • Maria is a dear lady whom we all love and al-
ways enjoy going to her home, and everyone feels wel-
comed Maria appreciates company, too, and always
cries when we leave*

We arrive in town and to the place where Maria
lives* We can't drive to Maria's house as the rains
have washed the street out in places, and we have to
be careful and watch even where we walk* We leave
the car parked on the asphalt street and walk back to
Maria's home* We don't look at the cars to see who
has come for meeting today as no one else has a car*
As we arrive at Maria's gate, we might see a bicycle
or motorcycle, and the rest have walked from differ-
ent parts of town, even some \\ miles, and some have
come with us* We give each one our greetings and
converse a little while* Then it's time for our wor-
ship service to begin*

We sit on chairs, stools, cans, boards, etc*, and
if there are not enough seats for everyone, some
stand* The hymn books and Bibles are passed out to
the ones that can read, and since there are not
enough for everyone, we'll need to share* The hymns
are in Portuguese; -the Bible readings are read in
English, then in Portuguese* Onaldo does the inter-
preting from the English to the Portuguese language
so the ones present can understand* It's different
here because some have never grown up under the Bible
teachings, and some can't read, and for some this is
the first time they've ever heard the Word of God*
What a blessed privilege it is that we have been
raised in Christian homes and taught the Word of God!
We hear words of encouragement and warning and the
Scriptures explained, What a girsai Cod we serve es

THE PILGRIM

He can be everywhere at the same time! We can feel
the Spirit here as you can there

After the message there is time for questions and
testimonies. Then after a hymn or two and prayer,
the services are dismissed. We visit more, then the
first car load is taken home while the others wait
until the car returns for them.

We silently thank God for being with us and our
Brazilian loved ones at another worship service May
you remember each of us in prayer and may God's Name
be glorified and the Word of God brought to the ones
that are searching and seeking Him.

--Violet Flora
Rio Verde
Goias, Brazil

REST IN THE LORD

You are hindered, slandered, troubled, misrepresent-
ed and lied about. B-'d men make false statements, and
good men believe them; and you find yourself condemned
unheard, and cast out and scorned. And if you defend
yourself you will be counted quarrelsome , and if you
expose the hypocrisy of your assailants, they will put
on the garb of injured innocence, and claim to be per-
secuted for righteousness 1 sake, and you will find your
last state worse than the first*

What can you do? Rest in the Lord. Do not struggle
like a horse in a snow drift, till you break everything
to pieces. Do not. try to compete with Satan or his
children in abuse or in railing accusations. Michael
the archangel knew better than to do that. Wait on
the Lord. Let liars lie. Let slanderers slander.
The men who wrong you today will wrong someone else
tomorrow, and sometime their evil deeds will come to
light. The men who believed lies, and acted upon them,
will by and by find that their turn has come, and the
venomous tongue which has stung others will turn and
sting them, and compel them to speak in their own de-
fence. Do not fret. The tide will turn. Men will

10 THE PILGRIM

find out who lies and who tells the truth. And men
who have climbed up by pulling others down, and who
have sought to build their own houses by tearing down
the houses of others , will see their hopes and plans
end in ruin and in chaos, while dwellings of the
faithful will stand secure upon a rock. The ^ide will
turn: if not now, by and by; if not here, hereafter;
if not in time, then in eternity; and we shall see
that all things have their working for good for those
who love the Lord, and who are called according to
His purpose.

Men who are right can afford to wait. Men who are
to live forever need be in no hurry c Men who have
God for their friend need not fear what man can do
unto them. Wait on the Lord, Keep His way. Trust
in Him at all times „ He will never leave nor forsake
you, and by and by right will flourish and wrong will
fail and die*

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him:
fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in
his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked de-
vices to pass," (Psalm 37:7)

— Selected by Bertie Baker

MY GUIDE

I know not what the future holds,

The days I have not planned.
But I know who holds the future,

And I know who holds my hand.
He who hath led will lead

All through the wilderness.
He who hath fed will feed,

He who hath blessed will bless.
He will not leave nor delay,

He never forgets His own.
He who hath led will lead

All the way home .

-Hildur Christensen — Selected by Susie Wagner

THE PILGRIM 11

A LETTER TO THE BRETHREN

Is someone praying for me?

I sometimes wish I knew.

I wonder, because I never hear

from people I see in church;

their faces smile before me Sunday morning,

but the rest of the week they're gone,,

as if the vascillating wind claimed them,

and carried them away

to some deserted island;

they evaporate, like morning daydreams,

I know people are busy,

and I know they have families and responsibilities,

but if I didn't see those folks on Sunday

I r d never know they were alive.

Do we care about each other?

Do they really want to know what I've been doing ■:*

all week when they ask that question

with Sunday concern?

It's rough on a Monday morning;

it sometimes seems like I'm the only Christian

in a large, impersonal world.

Yet, just the day before, there were 150 faces

listening to a message of share, prayer, and care.

Dear brethren, I need prayer too.

— By Parmen Poulos Bergman

Selected by Charles and Leona Miller

MEDITATION

How important it is that every word of God be ful-
filled! Jesus, when* He hung on the cross, said, "I
thirst/ 1 to remind His persecutors to give Him vinegar
to drink. (John 19:28-30 and Psalm 69:21) Also, He
expounded all the Scriptures concerning Himself to the
two disciples on the Emmaus road.

So we need to study all things that are written
concerning us. —Ernest Wagner

Modesto j California

12 THE PILGRIM

HISTORICAL
HISTORY OF THE BIBLE
JOB

The book of Job deserves special notice by itself,
as it is unique among the Bible books As we will
see by our selections, the author is unknown and even
the time of its writing is a mystery* But it has long
been accepted as part of the inspired Word of God*
Hew Testament writers refer to it and Job himself is
rated with Noah and Daniel as men righteous before
God* (Ezekiel 14:14) We will find it of special value
in studying the reasons or ,! whys n of our difficulties
and sufferings and the truths of God's sovereign power
and mercy.

From the introduction to the author's comments on
the book of Job in Hatthaw Henry's Commentary , we have
this selections

"This book of Job stands by itself, is not con-
nected with any other, and is therefore to be con-
sidered alone. Many copies of the Hebrew Bible place
it after the book of Psalms, and some after the Prov-
erbs, which perhaps has given occasion to some learned
men to imagine it to have been written by Isaiah or
some of the later prophets. It is most fitly placed
first in this collection of divine morals: also, be-
ing doctrinal, it is proper to precede and introduce
the book of Psalms^ which is devotional, and the book
of Proverbs, which is practical; for how shall we wor-
ship or obey a God whom we know not? As to this book,

"We are sure that it is given by inspiration of
God, though x^e are ijot certain who was the penman of
it. The Jews, though no friends to Job, because he
was a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel, yet, as
faithful conservators of the oracles of God committed
to them, always retained this book in their sacred
canon. The history is referred to by one apostle
(James 5:11) and one passage (ch. v 13) is quoted by
another apostle, with the usual form of quoting scrip

THE PILGRIM 13

ture, It is written , I Corinthians 3:19« It seems
most probable to me that Elihu was the penman of it,
at least of the discourses, because (cho 32:15,16) he
mingles the words of a historian with those of a dis-
putant* If Job wrote it himself, some of the Jewish
writers themselves own him a prophet among the Gen -
tiles ; if Elihu, we find he had a spirit of prophecy
which filled him with matter and constrained him , ch*
32:18,

"It is, for the substance of it, a true history,
and not a romance, though the dialogues are poeticalo
No doubt there was such a man as Jobs the prophet
Ezekiel names him with Moah and Daniel* (Ezekial 14:14)
The narrative we have here of his prosperity and
piety, his strange afflictions and exemplary patience,
the substance of his conferences with his friends,
and God's discourse with him out of the whirlwind,
with his return at length to a very prosperous con-
dition, no doubt is exactly true, though the inspired
penman is allowed the usual liberty of putting the
matter of which Job and his friends discoursed into
his own words*

'It is very ancient, though we cannot fix the pre-
cise time either when Job lived or when the book was
written* So many, so evident, are its hoary hairs,
the marks of its antiquity, that we have reason to
think that holy Job was contemporary with Isaac and
Jacobs though not coheir with them of the promise of
the earthly Canaan, yet a joint-expectant with them
°f t ^ ie better country , that is, the heavenly * Probab-
ly he was of the posterity of Nahor, Abraham's brother
whose first-born was JJz (Genesis 22:21), and in whose
family religion was for some ages kept up, as appears,
Genesis 31:53, where God is called, not only the God
of Abraham, but the God of Nahor , He lived before
the age of man was shortened to seventy or eighty, as
it was in Moses's time, before sacrifices were con-
fined to one altar, before the general apostasy of the
nations from the knowledge and worship of the true
God, and while yet there was no other idolatry known

14 THE PILGRIM

than the worship of the sun and moon, and that pun-
ished by the judges, ch. 31:26-28, He lived while
God was known by the name of God Almighty more than
by the name of Jehovah ; for he -is called Shaddai — the
Almighty , above thirty times in this book* . . And we
have therefore reason to think that he lived before
Moses, because here is no mention at all of the de-
liverance of Israel out of Egypt, or the giving of
the law. We conclude therefore that we are here got
back to the patriarchal age, and, besides its author-
ity, we receive this book with veneration for its
antiquity,"

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

This short poem to "the young" appeared in the
October, 1883, Vindicator as a selection by H. L,
King. Its message is just as fresh today as it was
a century ago,

ADVICE TO THE YOUNG

Blest they who seek,

While in their youth,
With spirit meek,

The way of truth.

For them he bore

His father 1 s frowns
For them he wore

The thorny crown.

Nailed to the cross,

Endured its pain,
That his life*s loss

Might be their gain.

Then, haste to choose

That better part;
Nor ne'er refuse

The Lord thy heart;

THE PILGRIM 15

Lest he declare,

I know you not,
And deep despair

Will be your lot*

--Selected by John Schonwald

JESUS, CAPTAIN

Jesus, Captain, God's Son above,
Come down to earth in holy love;
Safely lead me by heaven's light,
In the great war for truth and right.

Jesus, Captain, Saviour of men,
Who bravely died to bear my sin;
Bravely would I take up my cross,
Counting all else but dung and loss*

Je'sus, Captain, meek Prince of Peace,
Your government in me increase;
May Your peace rule my heart and mind
To show God*s love to all mankind.

Jesus, Captain, grand Lord of Lords,
Whose soldiers fight with Spirit swords;
In Your footsteps help me to tread,
Clothed with the whole armour of God,

Jesus, Captain, great King of Kings,
For You may I forsake all things;
To join Your army pure and white,
And praise Your name in glory bright.

Chorus:

Jesus, Captain,' faithful and true,
Faithfully I will follow You
Through the fires of tribulation,
Perfect Captain of salvation I

— Hollis Edward Flora

CHILDREN'S PAGE
"Lessons From Nature" Series
HILLS FOR A REFUGE

High on the mountain peak, where the snow lies deep
and the wind is so cold that trees refuse to grow,
stands a handsome, wooly animal with strong, curving
horns* Not just a thousand feet, but two miles, above
the distant valleys, the white mountain goat walks and
leaps easily on hie narrow trail. He seems to be com-
pletely unafraid, as if he doesn't realize that one
slip would send him sliding and rolling to his death,
far below.

On his one side, the mountain wall rises nearly
straight up over his head; on the other he can see
down past his feet to the empty spaces below. He
balances here, jumps to another ledge there, and grips
new footholds as he works his way along the trail.

Somehow, up here where ice, snow, and cold blizzards
make the slopes so dangerous and uninviting, the
mountain goat is comfortable. He knows where the wind
has swept the snow from the sweet green grass, and he
look? fat and ^leek in his long white suit.

The Psabawriter of the Bible, like ourselves, was
impressed by God f s handiwork. In Psalm 10.4:24 he sings,
M Q Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast
thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches,"
And in verse 18 of the same Psalm, we read, "The high
hills are a re f age for the wild goats J'

Imagine I 4 refuge! The very slopes that seem too
dangerous to live en are the ones that keep the gcat ! s
enemies at a safe distance. And we too can grip the
solid rock by staying close to God, so that our feet
need never slip. —Stanley K. Brobaker

Sonora, Calif -
THE PILGRIM
19201 Cherokee Rd,
Tuftlumne, Calif.
95379

THE PILGRIM

VOL. 30 AUGUST, 1983 NO. 8

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." / Peter 2.11

WE WOULD SEE JESUS
"Sir, we would see Jesus. " — John 12:21 ,

"We would see Jesus," for the shadows lengthen
Across the little landscape of our life; ' •
We would see Jesus, our weak faith to strengthen
For the last conflict in this mortal strife.

t! We would see Jesus, " Rock of our salvation,
Whereon our feet were set with sovereign grace;
Not life, nor death, with all their agitation,
Can thence remove us, gazing on his face.

"We would see Jesus;" other lights are paling,
Which for long years we did rejoice to see;
The blessings of this sinful world are failing;
We would not mourn them, in exchange for Thee.

"We would see Jesus;" this is all we're needing,
Strength, joy, and willingness come with the sight;
We would see Jesus, dying, risen, pleading,
Soon to return and , end this mortal night i

— Anna B, Warner

Selected from Christ in Song

Address: THE PILGRIM, 19201 Cherokee Rd., Tuolumne, CA 95379

WOOD

Itfood in its various forms has also a variety of
uses. It is a material tough, strong, and of compar-
atively light weight* In our area it is abundant
enough to use for fuel, but in some regions it is ex-
tremely scarce. There are hardly any trees in all of
Greenland and Antarctica and the vast desert regions.

Perhaps we could draw some comparisons from var-
ious kinds and uses of wood or trees. In some ways
wood is like people--all classed the same in a general
way, but having characteristics and purposes quite
diversified.

One of the best uses of wood is for lumber to build
homes. Here we see the varieties straight-grained and
tough. The wood from timber trees can be sawed and
shaped, nailed and chiseled, painted or stained.
Lumber is like the most useful Christians. They can
be shaped and fitted by God, the iiaster Builder.
They can fill a place of support completely hidden
from view. Or they can show and shine with beauty
and grace, just as the Builder wills and fashions
them. They can be "pillars" as those Apostles and
church leaders are called. These are the burden-
bearers who support the weight of the building — give
it the straight, square, and plumb lines.

Then there are the shingles and siding lumber.
These Christians bear the weather--the wind and rain
and the heat of thie day. They are durable and tight
and placed to hold fast against the storms because
they are supported by the pillars and, beyond that,
by the sure foundation, Jesus Christ.

Another class of useful wood is firewood. This
usually hasn f t the strength and straightness of lum-
ber, but it serves an important purpose: it warms the
home. Perhaps many of us are like this. I think es-
pecially of the sisters— the mothers, grandmothers,

THE PILGRIM

and aunts — who warm and comfort and cheer o While the
pillars are supporting and the protectors are turning
the storms, these are warming and comforting within*
Without them, we would be cold and stiff and perhaps
unf riendly.

The other class could be driftwood that clutters
the beaches and river sideso It is carried with the
waves, the currents, and the tides— "tossed about" by
wind and storm* We could compare here the ungodly —
the unbelievers, the unfaithful.. They lack purpose
in the world, having no place or use in the kingdom
of Christ* Much driftwood is too rough or too rotten
to use and too wet to burn* It serves to pollute and
clog and hinder* It has no stability or foundation*
"The ungodly * * * are like the chaff which the wind
driveth away*" (Psalm 1:4)

What are we? Are we like good lumber that God can
use in one way or another in His building? Are we
like firewood to "spend and be spent" comforting,
warming, cheering others? Or are we like driftwood
tossed on the waves of life, without purpose, carried
and deposited — who knows where — to become an eyesore
or pollution on the shore? May God help us to see
ourselves--to be yielded to Him and useable* Even
driftwood can be rescued, changed, and used as an ob-
ject of beauty by the wise ilaster of earth and seas
and building materials*

Simple things which God created . '
Teach us lessons complicated;
Show us where. we doubt and fail,
Also how we can prevail*

Take the trees God made of wood,

Straight and tough and very good,

When cut to the ground and sawed and fitted

Become a building square and pitted —

Against all storms of snow and wind,
Tight arid sound and warmed within*
The redeemed are like this building wood,
Supporting, shielding, promoting good*

THE PILGRIM

They warm and cheer and hold things fast,
Upholding each other to the very last.
Making a home where Christ can dwell,
Galling the weary from death and hello

But some trees are driftwood on the shore,
Polluting and clogging and showing us more
Of human nature when left to drift
That finally fails on sands that shift*

Jesus can rescue wrecks of timei
He can make our lives sublime;
By His atonement and life of good
He can save the worst driftwood*

MEDITATIONS

SEEING AND HEARING

These are the two main senses to obtain food for
the soul. Jesus said, "Blessed are they which do
hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they
shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6) Also in John 8:31,
32 we read "If ye continue in my word, then are ye
my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free. 11

Today, with many diverse theories and doctrines,
what do we tune our ears to hear?

UNDERSTANDING

After His disciples had followed Him for a consider-
able portion of His ministry, Jesus reproved them, say-
ing: " ... Perceive ye" not yet, neither understand? have
ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not?
and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?
(Mark 8:17,18) Are we awake and understand the time
in which we live? "Wisdom is the principal thing;
therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get

understanding." (Proverbs 4:7) Ernest Wagner

Modesto, California

THE PILGRIM

FILLING THE GkPS

"Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and
arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but
as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are
evil*" (Ephesians 5:14-16)

Colossians 4:5 tells us to "Walk in wisdom toward
them that are without, redeeming the time*," Many
verses refer to our walk as Christians* And this is
the burden of this writer, that we might examine our
walk to see if it be a light or darkness to others*

The words we have chosen for our title were written
in a letter from a dear loved one recently, and I
thought the subject couJd be enlarged upon,. As time
draws to a close, we should fill the gaps in our
lives with diligencel It has not been so long since
God gave us a New Year, a new slate, clean and un-
marred* And much depends upon our walk as Christians*
The Bible speaks of walking worthy of our vocation
and before God, walking in newness of life, and walk-
ing in the light and not in darkness, that we might
have fellowship one with another* Also, we are in-
structed to "walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit*" I Thessalonians 4:1 says, "* * * ye have
received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God,
so ye would abound more and more*" Verse 12 says,
"that ye may walk honestly toward them that are with-
out*"

Philippians 3:1"8 warns us about those who walk who
"are the enemies of the cross of Christ," but verse 20
says, "For our conversation (walk, manner of living)
is in Heaven*" II Peter 3 refers to the last times,
and verse 11 says, "Seeing then that all these things
shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye
to be in all holy conversation and godliness*" Verse
17 says, "Ye therefore, beloved, seeing you know these
things before, beware lest ye also, being led away
with the error of the wicked, fall from your own sted-
fastness*"

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Much could be written on walking, growing, putting
off , or mortifying and putting on, Colossians 3 is
one chapter that deals with these at lengtho Those
of us who have been redeemed carry a big responsibil-
ity toward others, and God through His Son and the
Holy Spirit can help us in shouldering it*

True Christian service is prompted by love for
Christ and love for the brethreno If we let our light
shine* God will put it where it can be seen*

Let us fill the gaps and rededicate ourselves to
the "faith of our fathers"* It is faithfulness that
counts! The memory of the past can be both a joy and
a spur*, The Church is Christ's Body, and we should
love, respect, and obey Him* A good test of the gen-
uineness of our faith is to ask, "Would I be willing
to die for Him? If I should be called upon either to
give my life or to renounce my convictions, which
would it be?" What an impact believers would make if
they spoke with such assurance that all could see and
believe their faith was "worth dying for"!

We must suffer for the cause of Christ, or the
cause of Christ will suffer! Do not be discouraged by
opposition! Believe that God will bless the truth,
then be sustained by His grace to carry on for His
glory*

The first lesson of a soldier is to learn absolute
obedience to his superior officer*, Likewise is it
with Christ*, We cannot defeat the enemy if our sword--
the Bible--is rusty e Then let us fill the gaps and
read the Bible more, that we might get more of the
Bible into us! It is not necessary for a Christian to
suffer from spiritual malnutrition* To refuse the
provision of God's Word is to suffer malnutrition and
to become weak in the Christian life* How thankful
we should be for our Bibles! Some are denied the
privilege*

The gaps need to be filled with true Christian joy.
Psalm 100 begins, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,
all ye lands* Serve the Lord with gladness * n We need
Christian joy in our walko God delights in joy, and
He desires that His people be trustful and happy* The

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Christian walk is not drudgery . The joy of the Lord
is our strength!

The spirit of our walk is determined by our atti-
tude toward our brethren and elders as they rule in
love over us, and this attitude makes all the differ-
ence between whether or not we have Christian joy.
Hebrews 13:17 says, "Obey them that have the rule
over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for
your souls, as they that must give account, that they

FAITH

Faith is the eye that sees God,

No matter how dark the day.
Faith is the hand that holds Him

On the steep and rugged way*

Faith is the heart rejoicings-
Accepting God's promise true*

Faith is the ear that listens,

To the voice that speaks to you.

Faith refuses to doubt Him,

Though others are filled with fear,
Faith is believing the Word,

And knowing that God is near.

Selected by Susie Wagner

may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is
unprofitable for you." Are we keeping our vows to
God? We need to refresh our memories as we consider
our baptismal vows and the questions that are asked
on the yearly visit.

Believer, rejoice! Remember, you are no more a
servant, but a son, now reborn to serve. There is no
slavery like sin, and no liberty like God's service.
Some people carry their religion on their backs like
a burden, while true Christians carry it in their
hearts like a song!

Let us fill the gaps, that we might grow in r/raca.

THE PILGRIH

The conversion of a soul is the miracle of the moments
the growth of a saint is the task of a lifetime « It
is our business to look at things from a divine stand-
pointo Many things may be quite consistent for a
worldly man to do which a believer should not touch
at all 9 simply because he is a Christian., In a word
of standard the test is, n Is it consistent with the
Word of God and with my testimony for Christ?' 1 Our
lives constantly manifest what we truly think of
Christ* Our everyday life should reflect a difference
that makes our decisions for Christ seem normal to
our friends* The world wants good mixers, but God
wants good separators!

We need to fill the gaps by being watchful against
deception* It is the prominent problem of these last
times* Indeed, we all need to be reminded again and
again of the adversary's presence and his primary
business in the world today. Recognition of this
reality is a defense in itselfo In Ephesians 6:10-18
we read, among other things, M Put on the whole armor
of Godo • o For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places*."

The devil is our enemy, and his aim is to rob us
of our faith in God as our Fatherc A little girl was
given a card on which was written, n Have faith in
God* n On the way home from church, a gust of wind
blew it out the window* She cried, "Stop the car;
I've lost my faith in God*" and we can be like that*
The devil can send a strong wind of circumstances,
and we lose our faith* God wants to develop strong
Christian character in us* We should be conformed to
the image of His Son, and He knows the means to ac-
complish this endc

The devil is pleased to deceive us* He will take
a truth and distort it into a lie* If it were possi-
ble, he would deceive the very elect* Satan does not
usually draw men with chafing, heavy ropes. Rather,
he uses slippery, silken cords* The thought, "This or

THE PILGRIM

that does not matter," is dangerous*. We need to ask,
"Where does it lead to?" "Be not deceived; God is
not mockeds for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall

I he also reap*"

Yes, His sheep know His voice and follow Hinu

V There are many misleading and deceiving voices in the
land today* How thankful we should be that we who are
conversant with His Holy Word know the Master's voice!
And we need not be led astray* Remember, the closer
we walk with the Shepherd, the further we will be from
the wo If «

But let us beware! The most difficult kind of
honesty is being honest with oneself* Spiritual over-
confidence is the first step on the path to backslid-
ing* It frightens me when I hear someone call someone
else spiritual* It may well be they are, but a danger
is there! The world and unbelievers will see for them-
selves* We do not have to tell them c When it comes
to salvation, profession is no substitute for posses-
sion*

Let us fill the gaps and do little kindnesses, such
as visiting and encouraging others and giving them a
helping hand* James 1:27 tells us "to visit the fa-
therless and widows," and Matthew 25:35,36 refers to
the sick and needy* It is a command, but how we neg-
lect it! I see the great lack in my own life* Kind-
ness starts at home* How often we neglect the word
of encouragement or the deserved commendation! It is
so easy to criticize* We not only reap what we sow,
but the harvest is always greater than the original
planting. Although seed may be sown in secret, the
harvest cannot be concealedo

Today we need to watch the little sins, the hasty
or unkind word, thought, or look*, Let us be on guard

/ for the little "foxes" of selfishness, pride, and

covetousness* By all means, let us watch the little

I irritations* Little things are important* We stumble
on pebbles rather than mountains* Human kindness oils
the wheels of life!

Above all, let us watch that little member, the

10 THE PILGRIM

tongue! Gossip is gossip • We should call it by the
right name. And a white lie is a lie Jarses 3 tells
us all about this little member we each have that no
man can tame* We need Christ to help us do the job
Gossip is a universal sin. It is like sof: soap —
mostly liel

Perhaps at times I criticize because there is
something wrong with me* One has to have discernment
to be able to make a fair judgment of people and
thingSo And this discernment can be of great value
as it develops through experience and observation*
But destructive criticism—the habit of belittling
anything or person not to our particular ilking—is
an indication of small-mindedness. The quickest way
to help others is to fall on our knees.

Let us fill the gaps and root out besetring sins.
(Hebrews 12:1) They are the ones for which we do not
xtfish to respond, to which our thoughts run the most,
and for which we can find abundant excuses* The
fault that we try to persuade ourselves is just a
natural infirmity is the sin that must be given up,
or it will surely sap our spiritual energy and de-
stroy our witness*

Sin is sin„ We must not change the label. The
milder we make the label, the more dangerous will be
the poison* Let us not wallow in the enjoyment of
our besetting sins! Determination, tenacity, per-
severance, and prayer are necessary for success. Our
neglected confessibns will have to be met face to
face with our Lord. How much better it is to take
care of them now! Covered sins brew misery; con-
fessed sins distill forgiveness. (To be concluded
next issue,) By 'Barbara Basore

Selected by Marvin and Ruth Cramer
from The Vindicator , iiarch, 1985

One who is afraid of lying is usually afraid of
nothing else. Selected

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OBITUARY

PHOEBA ANN MORRIS , daughter of Jonas and Lucinda
Ellen (Hiller) Flora, was born March 14, 1891, in
Macon County, Illinois, moving with her parents to
Carroll County, Indiana, as a small child where she
spent the remainder of her life*

She departed this life July 9, 1933, making her
life span 92 years, 3 months and 25 days*

On February 16, 1921, she was united in marriage
with James E* Morris* To this union were born three
sons and three daughters* She was preceded in death
by her husband on August 12, 1954; a son, Jonas, on
December 13, 1971} a stepgrandson in February 20, 1982«
Two sons and one daughter died in infancy*

Surviving are two daughters, Mary Ellen Lavy, with
her companion, Andrew, and Emma Marie Smith; a daugh-
ter-in-law, Alice Morris; a stepson, Fred Morris, with
his companion, Irene; a stepdaughter, Eunice Koopes,
with her companion, George; nine grandchildren j four
great-grandchildren; three stepgrandchildren; one sis-
ter, Flossie Rumble; one brother, Amos Brubaker; one
half sister, Edith Bruchey; and one stepsister, Mary
Coning*

Five brothers, one half brother, and one half sister
are also deceased*

She was baptized at an early age, always desiring
to follow her Master throughout her earthly pilgrimage*
She was a member of the Old Brethren German Baptist
Church*

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, July 12, at
10:00 a*m* at the Old Brethren German Baptist meeting
house near Camden by^ the home brethren* Text used was
taken from II Corinthians 5* Kymns used were 522,
384, 409, 439, and 410* Her body was laid to rest in
Mussleman Cemetery to await the resurrection call*

--The Family

12 THE _ PILGRIM

HISTORICAL

PSALMS, PROVERBS, ECCLESIASTES,
SONG OF SOLOMON

This group of books along with Job is known as the
"poetical books". Their authorship is well estab-
lished, and they have long been used by God's people
as counsel for daily life and for inspiration and
direction in worship. We give here two selections
describing these precious Biblical books,

PSALMS

"In the titles, seventy-three Psalms are ascribed
to David; twelve to Asaph; eleven to the sons of
Korah; two to Solomon (72, 127) ; one to Moses (90);
one to Ethan (89); fifty are anonymous .

"Some of the anonymous Psalms may, it is thought,
be ascribed to the author of the preceding Psalm*
David, no doubt, was author of some of the anonymous
Psalms*

"The titles are not a certain indication of author-
ship; for 'of 1 , 'to 1 , and 'for 1 are the same preposi-
tion in Hebrew* A Psalm 'of 1 David may have been one
that he himself wrote, or that was written 'for 1
David, or dedicated 'to* David,

"However, the titles are very ancient, and the
most natural presumption is that they indicate author-
ship. The age-old, universal and unbroken cradition
is that David was the principal author of the Psalms.

"Some modern critics have made a desperate effort
to read David out of the picture. But there is every
reason to accept, and no substantial reason to ques-
tion, the Book of Psalms as quite largely the work of
David. The New Testament so recognizes it.

"So, we speak of the Psalms as the Psalms of David,
because he was the principal writer or compiler. It
is generally accepted that a few were in existence
before David's time, forming the nucleus of a hymnal
for worshipo This was greatly enlarged by David,
added to from generation to generation^ and $ it is

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thought, brought to completion in its present form by

Ezra ° * ° U — Halley's Bible Handbook

PROVERBS, ECCLESIASTES,
SONG OF SOLOMON

M A new author, made use of by the Holy Ghost for
making known the mind of God to us, is Solomon;
through his hand came this book of Scripture and the
two that follow it, Ecclesiastes and Canticles (Song
of Solomon), a sermon and a song„ Some think he wrote
Canticles when he was very young, Proverbs in the
midst of his days, and Ecclesiastes when he was old*
He was a king and a king's son c The penmen of Scrip-
ture, hitherto, were most of them men of rank in the
world, as Moses and Joshua, Samuel and David, and now
Solomon; but, after him, the inspired writers were
generally poor prophets, men of no figure in the world,
because that dispensation was approaching in which God
would choose the weak and foolish things of the world
to confound the wise and mighty, and the poor should
be employed to evangelizeo Solomon was a very rich
king, and his dominions were very large, and yet he
was a prophet and a prophet's son* He was one whom
God endued with extraordinary measures of wisdom and
knowledge, in answer to his prayers at his accession
to the throne « His prayer was exemplary: 'Give me a
wise and an understanding heart;' the answer to it was
encouraging: he had what he desired and all other
things were added to hirru He was one who had his
faults, and in his latter end turned aside from those
good ways of God« But let those who are most eminent-
ly useful take warning by this not to be proud or se-
cure; and let us all. learn not to think the worse of
good instructions though we have them from those who
do not themselves altogether live up to them."

- -Matthew Henry 1 s Commentary

The book of Proverbs is a gold mine of practical
instruction for those who would learn wisdom and live
godly lives and not be trapped by the adversary's

14 THS PILGRIM

devices*

Ecclesiastes also is rich in instruction but having
more of a dark or pessimistic note. This seems to
arise from the author 1 s mainly earthly view of things
"under the sun", As one writer pointed out, he is not
really seeing the New Covenant as he proclaims that
there is no new thing under the sun.

The Song of Solomon has been interpreted in various
ways* It certainly has much symbolism and requires
study to grasp the lessons beneath what appears to be
a song of lovers. It may well symbolize the love of
Christ for Kis church.

These are all ancient writings by two famous Hebrew
kings and have long had their place in the Scriptures —
the Word of God to man, --LoC,

AN EASTER THOUGHT

Mary, to the Saviour 1 s tomb,
Bringing spices and perfume,
With her sad head bending low,
Trying not to let tears flow,

•

When she got there, what surprise I
She could not believe her eyes;
For the Lord she came to see
Was no longer to be seen.

Christ arose I an angel said,
He has risen from the dead;
Go and spread the joyful news
To the Gentiles and the Jews.

By Linda Wagner

NEW; PHONE NUMBERS

Lloyd Wagner's (209) 522-9616

Jerry Cover's (209) 928-3442

THE PILGRIM 15

BAPTISMS

We, the members here in Brazil, S. A., were made to
rejoice with the angels of heaven when Onaldo Alves
Pereira and Maria Carneiro de Souza made application
for Christian baptism, which was administered July 10,
1983. May they remain faithful to God to the end of
this life is our prayer*

— Wade Flora

COMMUNION MEETING NOTICES

The Eastern District of the Old Brethren have agreed,
the Lord willing, to hold our Fall Lovefeast and Com-
munion on September 17 and 18 at the Bradford, Ohio,
meeting house. Communion is also appointed for Septen>-
ber 25 with our members in Canada near Maple, Ontario.
A hearty invitation is extended to all of our members
and friends to be with us.

— Melvin Coning

We, the members of the Old Brethren Church in
California, have agreed to hold our Fall Lovefeast
meeting, the Lord willing, at Salida on October 1$
and 16. We sincerely invite and welcome all our dear
brethren and sisters and friends to come and be with
us at this time of communion and spiritual revival.
May God richly bless this coming meeting and all who
attend.

— Joseph L. Cover "...

BIRTHS

BEUBAKER - A daughter, Melody Ruth, born July 23 to
Stanley and Janice Brubaker of Goshen, Indiana.

ROY 1 ® * A daughter, Sharen Elizabeth, born August 9 to
Rex and Janice Rojrer of Nappanee, Indiana.

16 ' - CHILDREN'S PAGE

"Lessons From Nature 11 Series

THE SPIDER'S SILK

Isn ! t knowledge a wonderful thing? When a baby is
born there are so many things it doesn't know* It
doesn't know how to talk or to clap its hands against
each other. It doesn't even know its own name, or
where it lives, or who its own" brothers and sisters
are. But as time moves on, that tiny person will
learn hundreds of facts every week,

I recently learned a few things about the spider's
silk. Did you know that most spiders can make five
different kinds of silk? One kind is a liquid that
dries hard when exposed to air. Another kind stays
sticky. The spider has several spinnerets, similar to
the fingers on your hand, which spin the silk; with
these it can mix the different kinds of silk together
to make its "lifeline," its web for trapping insects,
or its snug silk house in the ground, in a folded
leaf j or even underwater. Surely God created the
common spiders with some amazing ways.

Did you ever get to watch a spider carefully
constructing its web? Some of the lines have sticky
drops on them or sticky silk wound around the dry
lines to trap insects. But the spider knows where to
step, and oil on its body keeps it from sticking,

I think building a spider web to trap food is a
lot like a child going back to school to learn. If
the student works carefully, pays attention in class,
and follows instructions diligently, he will trap a
great deal of valuable knowledge. But if his mind and
his "spinnerets" are idle, much of the "food" his
mind needs will get away and be lost forever.

— Stanley K. Bru baker

NON-PROFIT ORG. -BULK RATE-U .S. POSTAGE PAID-PERMIT #10
THE PILGRIM Sorora, Calif.

19201 Cherokee Ro
Tuolumne t Cal i f
05379

THE PILGRIM

VOL. 30 SEPTEMBER, 1983 KO. 9

'Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." i Peter 2: n

GOT ANY RIVERS?

"For with God nothing shall be impossible."

(Luke 1:37)

"Be of good courage," God spake unto Joshua,
When o'er the river God pointed the way.
Jordan uncrossablel things seemed impossible,
Waters divide as they march and obey.

Battles to wini They would meet with their obstacles,
Jericho's walls, too, must fall to the. ground...
God never failed; He stood back of His promises,
Walls had to crumble as they marched around. -

God is the same and His Word is dependable;
He'll make a way through the waters for you.
Life T s situations by Him are amendable.
Mountains and hills He will part for jom too.

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?
Got any mountains you can't tunnel through?
God specializes in things thought impossible;
He does the things others cannot do.

By Oscar C. Eliason

Address: THE PILGRIM, 19201 Cherokee Rd., Tuolumne, CA 95379

"HIS LOVING KINDNESS"

When I was a boy I thought my grandfather was the
gentlest, kindest, most patient man I ever knew* He
would tell us Bible stories* He would have us read
the Bible to him, and — marvel of all marvels — he
could tell us the hard words without even looking!
He had us see how bright we could polish a penny by
rubbing it on his rag rug. He sang to us and let us
listen to his music box* And he never punished us.

tiy father didn't have as much time to spend with
us, as his was the responsibility to earn the living.
Grandpa was not well and lived with us part time. We
took our father's love for granted and, perhaps,
tended to give him less attention when Grandpa was
there. Besides, Papa was the one who made us behave
and sometimes had to mete out punishment to accom-
plish this.

Looking back I can see that my father's love was
probably greater for us than my grandfather's. But
in our childish minds we responded more to the gifts
and attention, and thought our grandfather was the
greatest man alive.

My burden here is not in any way to make unfavor-
able or disrespectful comparisons, but to just notice
that God is our Father — not a grandfather * He cer-
tainly has perfect love and gives us all the gifts
and attentions we deserve and can receive. But He
also loves us enough to correct and punish us. And
so we read in Hebrews 12:5-11 about this chastening;
"« . . My son, despise not thou the chastening of the
Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him; For
whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth
every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening,
God dealeth with you as with sonsi for what son is he
whom the father chasteneth not? ® * . n

The Scripture writer goes on to say that we should

THE PILGRIM

accept this chastening and realize that it is "for our
profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness."
He also tells us that "it yieldeth the peaceable fruit
of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby/ 1

We need to know that God, in His kindness and mer-
cy, has an end in view when He allows us to have af-
fliction, reversals, disappointments, sorrows, un-
faithfulness of friends, or any of the many troubles
that seem to come in succession— back to back — without
end. Consider the calamities of Job and how God
taught him lovingly and effectively, and eventually
brought him through and rewarded him well*

Consider Jeremiah whom God sent to His people with
the message of His judgment by means of the armies of
Babylon, The people would not accept his message and
made it so hard for him that he complained to God and
nearly gave up his mission. Listen to him in Jeremiah
20:9: "Then I said, I will not make mention of him,
nor speak any more in his name* But his word was in
mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and
I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay,"
I'm sure Jeremiah has a special place in God's kingdom
for his faithful declaration of God's message in the
face of opposition and persecution* From Jeremiah in
Lamentations 3:22,23 comes this statement of confi-
dence in the Lord: "It is of the Lord's mercies that
we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness, "

Can we respond like that? With the revelation in
God's word of His ways, we can now understand better
than Job and Jeremiah could. Since Jesus came, no one
should doubt the compassion of God and His willingness
to deliver us. His ways are higher than our ways, and
He knows what we nefed better than we do. Can we not
trust Him through our trials and realize that He is
just like our loving fathers, only He is perfect in
love and kindness,,

As to our response, Paul writes "« , , despise not
thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou
art rebuked of him o" The original in Proverbs 3:11
says ", , „ neither be weary of his correction,"

THE PILGRIM

Other translations all mean the same but are given in
different words:

". o o Nor lose heart when he corrects you*"

(Heb* 12:5)— New English Bible
"* * * Do not be discouraged when he rebukes

you*" (Heb* 22:5)— Good Mews Bible
"Son, when the Lord corrects you, pay close
attention and take it as a warning*," (Pro*
3:11) --Good Mews Bible
"* * * Never be weary of his discipline,*" (Pro*

3:11)— Moffat's
"* o c Never faint under his reproofs*" (Heb*

12:5)— Moffat's
Jesus assures us that He loves us and proved it by
"laying down Kis life for His sheep*" He promises to
be with us and that every honest response— even the
giving of a glass of water— will be noticed and re-
warded * Tears will flow here, but some day God will
wipe them away, and there will be no more of them in
glory

When we attain, through the Holy Spirit, to com-
plete trust in God, we can be happy and rejoice in
afflictions and trials* James said to count it all
joy when ye fall into divers temptations,, Paul wrote
about rejoicing in hope, (being) patient in tribula-
tion, and continuing instant in prayer*
Grandpa used to sing this song to us:
Awake, my soul, in joyful lays
And sing thy great Redeemer's praise*
He justly claims a song from me,
His loving .kindness — how free*
If we truly know God and are His sons and daughters
through Jesus, this can be our song even in the
greatest trials* — L*Co

TRUTH

It is wonderful to know and love the truth* One of
the commandments teaches us that we should love our
neighbor as ourse\lf* To really love one another we

TH2 PILGRIM

must be true to one another—not only to our brethren
and sisters, but to all whom we come in contact with
daily* To be trusted we have to be truthful* Truth
is always consistent and needs nothing to help it out,
while falsehood is a perplexing maze and often brings
heartache and sorrow*

Most of us have been blessed with children and
grandchildren* I believe the greatest lesson we can
teach our loved ones is to learn to love to tell the
truth. It is a process of daily teaching, of being
aware and listening to whet our children are saying
and doing* We need to take the time to chastise them
in even the smallest error* I know that when children
are small it is hard to always make them understand
and realize why this is so important* But as they
grow older they will understand and can reap the joys
of being taught the truth* The most natural beauty
in all the world is honesty and truth*

Sometimes small children tell fantasy stories, and
we are amused, and while we can't always be so crit-
ical, we certainly need to be careful and not encour-
age them in this. It may be a stepping stone in per-
mitting them the privilege of telling things bigger
than they really are*

We as parents and grandparents have a big respon-
sibility in being good examples* Home is the hardest
place to play the role of a hypocrite* Our children
do not miss our actions and the way we handle every
situation* They are watching us and looking to us as
their teachers* And sometimes we find they are our
best teachers*

Children are small such a short time, and soon they
become adults* In time they, too, feel a need to ac-
cept Christ as their personal Savior and become sons
and daughters of God* We can understand now why the
truth :s so important in their lives. God's kingdom
can h^ve no part with one who does not speak the
truth. Proverbs 12:17 says, "He that speaketh truth
slieweth forth righteousness t but a false witness de-
ceit." Verse 19: "The lip of truth shall be estab-
lished for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a

6 THE PILGRIM

moment o n

The love of truth and right is a mark of integrity

and a result of a happy heart*

Oh, happy they, who in their youth

Are brought to know and love the truth!

For none but those whom truth makes free,

Can e'er enjoy their liberty* (Hymn 525, v* 3)

--Carol Boone

New Lebanon, Ohio

HUMANISM

Humanism* We've heard the word, heard it preached
against, know it is wrong, but what is it? Is it a
cult, a group of people to avoid? Is it a religion,
or some vague idea cooked up by some philosopher? Is
it a direct threat to Christianity, the Church, our
church? Is it really that serious, or can we merely
cope with it by shrugging it aside and leaving it at
that, going on our way and forgetting about it?

The answers to the above questions: humanism is a
religion just as much as Christianity, Buddhism,
Mohammedanism, Catholicism, Mormonism or any other of
the religions in the world about us. It is not a
vague idea cooked up by some philosopher, although
many philosophers have and do actively promote it*
And yes, it is a threat to Christianity, and, there-
fore, to our church. It _is that serious, and we can-
not afford to shrug it off* Humanism is the religion
of the devil* It's the same concept or idea that
Satan has been pushing since he tempted Eve*

Basically, humanism is the idea that man has the
potential tjo improve himself 5 that within us, our-
selves, liejs the ability to shape our own destinies,
to enjoy ourselves and to improve the world* These
are all liejs* The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the
only way we' can even begin to improve ourselves, let
alone society* In the Garden of Eden the temptation
was not really to taste the fruit| the temptation was

THE PILGRIM

to become as gods — to improve one's self by eating of
the forbidden fruit* Humanism is merely a new term
for an idea as old as Satan himself*

In a book entitled Psychiatric Nursing by Wilson
and Kneisl, some of the main concepts of humanism are
listed*, These are not only for psychiatry* These
are explaining humanism, the basic concept upon which
the world system operates, has always operated, and
will operate until Christ comes again and changes the
system The following are statements concerning hu-
manism and its beliefs, taken from this book*

"It (humanism) believes that the human being's
mind is indivisibly connected with the body*"

This statement totally ignores the existence of
any type of spiritual being or substance in man© Be-
sides, we know that these bodies are dust and will
return to that* Also, the soul is a durable being
that will exist after deatho

"It believes that human beings have the power or
potential to solve their own problems*"

". c . Without me ye can do nothing," Christ says
in John 15:5« Does anything more need to be said?

"It is opposed to all theories of universal deter-
minism, fatalism, or predestination, and it holds
that human beings, while influenced by the past, pos-
sess freedom of creative choice and action, and are,
within certain limits, masters of their own destinies*"

The first argument against this proposition is the
use of the word "theories"* A theory is an unproven
idea about something*, The theories here are, respec-
tively, ones of the existence of an all encompassing
power of some being, belief in fate, and of being con-
trolled by another power greater than our own, allow-
ing us no choice* What this all boils down to is that
humanism is opposed to all "theories" of God* Reduc-
ing God to a theory is preposterous* If ever there
was a proven fact, that fact is, was, and always will
be the fact of God's existence! By reducing God to a
mere theory, the only one left to be in charge of
man's destiny is himself, and this is the belief of

8 T HE PILGRIM -

-humanism* While it is true that man does make a
choice as to his eternal destiny, bear in mind that
those choices are provided by God, with conditions
attached* Man has no choice but to decide between
those two choices* There is no third choiceo

"It believes in an ethic that grounds human values
in life experiences and relationships and holds as its
highest goal the happiness, freedom, and growth of all
people*"

How empty! Happiness, freedom and growth* No won-
der people are depressed—that goal is absolutely un-
attainable without Christ* And no wonder human values
and morals are so low— how can they help but be if
their foundation is in life experiences and relation-
ships? The Bible gives us a basis and grounds to
settle our values that is much more secure than any
human experience or relationship*

"It is open ended— it advocates the unending exam-
ination of basic convictions—including its own*"

What a contrast to Christianity! "Jesus Christ,
the same yesterday, today and forever <>" (Hebrews 13? 8)
Christ is a rock, reliable, sure, and will stand for-
ever. The world T s system is like shifting sand at
best, unreliable, unsure, and bound to fall*

"The central proposition of humanism is that the
chief end of human life is to work for well-being
within the confines of life on this earth*"

"To work for well-being" isn't that bad a phrase,
but "within the confines of life on this earthy
changes thq whole statement into a goal that is empty
and hollow* The Bible plainly teaches that man's
chief end is to glorify God, and it doesn't limit us
to the "confines of life on this earth", either a It
promises opportunity to glorify God through ail of
eternity, Th£ Bible also tells us that the real
treasures are the ones laid up in heaven, not those
here on earth. We have something far greater to work
for than any g|oal obtainable "within the confines" of
this poor life,!

Humanism artd Christianity are diametrically op-

THE PILGRIM

posed o That means that if you were to place them on
the edge of a circle in relationship to each other,
they would be straight across from each other — as far
apart as possible* They are not compatible--they
don't mix P At all.

Humanism credits the human mind with abilities that
belong only to Godo Humanism takes the intelligence
that God has given to man and uses this intelligence
to explain away God* It's not logical* How can the
creature, made in the image of the Creator, deny that
Creator? He can't * It f s that simple* He may try,
and oh, how man tries to deny that he needs help*
I've heard the statement, "What the human mind can
conceive, it can achieve*" That's a lie* Christ
says, "Without me ye can do nothingo" Who are we to,,
deny the words of the Son of God? To do so is to be
as foolish as a puppet operated by strings turning on
the operator and trying to deny the very strings that
allowed it movement* (A poor analogy, but it illus-
trates a point )

Satan would have us believe this doctrine--that
life is an end in itself* Being born, growing* up,
interacting with other people, having a good time,
dying, and that's it. And he's been very successful!
it's obvious that this is what many people seem to be-
lieve; otherx^ise they xvrould take life much more seri-
ously* But Satan blinds them to eternity, and by the
time they realize they are wrong, it is too late to
do anything about it P

Let's not be slack about this doctrine* Be aware
of it and speak out against it* Open confrontation
with the Bible is one thing Satan cannot stand up to*
It is the one thing that will conquer hira in the end*

— Mary Wagner

Modesto, California

FILLING THE GAPS
(Continued from last month)

Let us fill the gaps and rid ourselves of resent-

10 THE PIL GRIM

merits and grudges* Life is too short for them, and we
must make a conscious effort to forgive and forget the
unkindnesses done to us» If allowed to fester, they
become "roots of bitterness", we learn from Hebrews
12:15* Joseph had plenty of room for resentment, but
God swept his mind clear of all of it, and made him to
exclaim, "God meant it unto good*" When we allow God
to sweep out our resentments, He is free to bless us
in surprising ways* Let us watch offense* The devil
loves to fish in troubled waters* Is blessing in our
families sometimes withheld because we are nursing an
injury? Let us never forget that loving forgiveness
is probably the most powerful tool the Christian has
in his kit of virtues* "He who cannot forgive others
breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass*"

The gaps can be filled by going to worship on the
Lord f s Day* What a privilege and opportunity this is!
It is one we may not always have* Our souls should
hunger for the Word* Hebrews 10:22-25 says, "Let us
drew near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,
and our bodies washed with pure water* Let us jiold
fast the profession of our faith without waverings
(for He is faithful that promised?) and let us con-
sider one another to provoke unto love and to good
works? not forsaking the assembling of ourselves to-
gether, as the manner of some is 5 but exhorting one
another: and so much the more, as ye see the day ap-
proaching*" <

Are we living too much for secondary things? Tran-
sient things command jso much attention, and they are
so time-consuming and exhausting that they leave for
God only the dregs of a hurried, worried, and fatigued
life* As Christians, we find it easier to trust God
for eternity than for everyday life*

Let us fill the gaps and use prayer more* { cannot
explain the mystery of prayer, but it works ! From the
beginning to the end of the Bible we are encouraged to
pray* We and our families may lose much if we ignore
the injunction* God treasures our prayers* They are
fragrant incense to Him* That should be a strong

THE PILGRIM 11

incentive for us to pray* We need to be quiet in our
beings and listen to Him ! God is always trying to
get in touch with us, to speak to the depths of our
soulso

A sure protection against pride or self-pity is
prayer and thankfulness to Godo If I list His mercies
and blessings to me, I will not have a superiority
complex* Elijah was a man of like passions as we are*
But, alas! we are not men of prayer like he was„ A
prayerful life is a powerful life*

God very often uses illness of one kind or another
for the ultimate blessing of many, and thus for His
own glory* For some of us there are lessons that can
only be learned in times of bodily weakness and pain*

In our homes we need the M living water" to cleanse
us, as well as to quench our thirsto And we need
rivers of them! If the Word is doing its work in us,
it cannot help but affect those who live with us* If
we ourselves are having our thirst quenched at the
fountains of living water, the rivers will flow fur-
ther than our own families through practical, every-
day Christian goodness* This flowing out is not by
our conscious effort* It is as we take in the living
water that it inevitably flows out* It is the Lord's
responsibility to direct the flow* Ours is to see
that we do not stop the intake or block the outflow*
And we do not always have to be checking the height
of the rivers* That is God f s business!

It amazes me hox* God is intervening in the lives
of people who da not yet know Him, and who are entire-
ly unaware of it. What an encouragement that is!
God has His eye on us, and He often acts behind the
scenes in our lives through people who are God's
agents in ways unknown to them or us.

Filling the gaps means not showing partiality
among God's people—the brethren* James 2:1 and 9
tells how God does not show partiality, and it is sin
when we do* Romans 2:11 says, "For there is no re-
spect of persons with God* n "Seeing ye have purified
your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit

12 THE PILGRIM

unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love
one another with a pure heart fervently* 11 {I Peter
1:22)

"Thou numberest my steps," says Job* The Lord
knows exactly how long is the way* I do think that
is encouraging* It may seem an endless way to us and
very hard going. But every step is counted, and there
will not be too many a

Let us fill the gaps! Eternity is a reality, and
it is just at hando We are approaching the ?apids —
the end of all things«> We on this side of the river
are living in the "mists"* The mists of th:js present
life hide the abiding realities "over there"? Jesus
should mean more to us than anyone else in the world*
And if He does, we will "love His appearing"!

By Barbara Basore

Selected by Marvin and Ruth Crawmer

from The Vindicator, March, 1983

MY IDLE WORDS

I know every idle word has its reward;
To dishonor the sacred no true heart accords;
Forgive me, dear God, if I've uttered a word
That would not have been said by my Lord,

I know that if anger has prompted the tongue,
If my wrath has exacted what love should have done,
Some heart will be wounded that I should have won;
Lord forgive" me if I've injured a one.

There's ought of example but Jesus for me:
Help me everj^ dear Father, His likeness tc be;
And help me "bo speak so that others may see,
That the Saviour is living in me.

By Vana R. Raye

Tiih PILGRIM 13

HISTORICAL

HISTORY OF THE BIBLE

ISAIAH

With this book begins the section of our Bible
called "The Prophets"* It consists of the writings of
the four major prophets and the twelve minor prophets*

Until 1947 the oldest known Hebrew manuscripts of
the Old Testament were copies of copies written about
A*D* 900, In 1947 the "Dead Sea Scrolls" were dis-
covered by Arab Bedouins searching the area for a lost
goat* About seven miles south of Jericho and one mile
west of the Dead Sea they found a cave containing
earthen jars of ancient writings. One of the scrolls
contained the book of Isaiah written in the second
century B*C* This was written on parchment about 24
feet long, made up of sheets about 10 x 15 inches
sewed together* One thousand years older than any
other Hebrew Bible manuscripts, it was called "the
greatest manuscript discovery of modern times*" This
discovery of manuscripts of the Bible only verifies
the fact that we have the Word of God in accurate form*

Matthew Henry in his Commentary gives us further
information on this inspiring book of Isaiah:

"A prophet is one that has a great intimacy with
Heaven and a great interest there, and consequently a
commanding authority upon earth* Prophecy was most
commonly by dreams, voices or visions, communicated to
prophets first, and by them to the children of men*
(Numbers 12:6) Before the sacred canon of the Old
Testament began to be written, there were prophets who
were instead of Bibles to the church* * * Moses was,
beyond all comparison, the most illustrious of all the
Old Testament prophets, for with him the Lord spoke
face to face* (Deuteronomy 34:10) * * * We read of
prophets raised up for special public services, among
whom the most famous were Elijah and Elisha in the
kingdom of Israel* There was nothing of their own
writing but one epistle of Elijah* s* (II Chronicles

14 THE PILGRIM

21:12) But, towards the latter end of the kin^oms
of Judah and Israel, it pleased God to direct his
servants the prophets to write some of their setmons*
The dates of many of their prophecies are uncertain,
but the earliest of them was in the days of UzzLah,
king of Judah, and Jeroboam the second, his contem-
porary, king of Israel about 200 years before the cap-
tivity If they begin to murder the prophets, ye:
they shall not murder their prophecies; these shall
remain as witnesses against them*, Hosea was the first
of the writing prophets; and Joel, Amos, and Cbadiah
published their prophecies about the same time*
Isaiah began some time after, but his prophecr is
placed first, because it is the largest of th^rn all,
and has most in it of Him to whom all the prophets
bore witness: and indeed so much of Christ that he is
justly styled the Evan gelical Prophet , and, by some
of the ancients, a fifth Evangelist ,,

"Concerning the prophet himself: he was (if we may
believe the tradition of the Jews) of the royal family,
his father being (they say) brother to King Uzziatu
He was certainly much at court, especially in
Hezekiah's time. The Spirit of God sometimes served
His own purpose by the particular genius of the proph-
et; for prophets were not speaking trumpets/ through
which the Spirit spoke, but speaking men, b? whom the
Spirit spoke, making use of their natural powers, in
respect both of light and flame, and advancing them
above themselves. « ," --L.C*

MEDITATION: OBEDIENCE

Abraham was willing to obey whatever uod said,
believing God was going to fulfill His promise con-
cerning Isaac* Jesus submitted Himself to God's will,
knowing the joy He would receive. To fch$ natural
man*s reasoning, some of God's work seems unjust,
But how limited is our knowledge I " Though he were a
Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he
suffered/ 1 (Hebrews 5t8) — Ernest Wagner

Modrcto. California

THE PILGRIM _____ 15

COMMUNION MEETING NOTICES

The Eastern District of the Old Brethren have agreed,
the Lord willing, to hold our Fall Love feast and Com-
munion on September 17 and 18 at the Bradford, Ohio,
meeting house. Communion 1b also appointed for Septem-
ber 25 with our members in Canada near Maple, Ontario.
A hearty invitation is extended to all of our members
and friends to be with us.

— Melvin Coning

We, the members of the Old Brethren Church in
California, have agreed to hold our Fall Lovefeast
meeting, the Lord willing, at Salida on October 15
and 16. We sincerely invite and welcome all our dear
brethren and sisters and friends to come and be with
us at this time of communion and spiritual revival.
May God richly bless this coming meeting and all who
attend,

— Joseph L. Cover

HIS GUIDING HAND

With outstretched hand, He leads me
Where deep blue waters flow,
When my footsteps tend to falter,
He shows The Way to go.

Gently leading on a journey
Which is yet unknown to me
For the path is steep and narrow
Difficult for me to see.

But I feel my faith grow stronger
And I see a light divine
As I smile and travel onward
With His strong hand holding mine.

By Juanita R. Davis
Selected by Susie Wagner

16 chijjjhenis page

"lessons from nature" series
patient as a porcupine

Two years ago I had the privilege of following a
porcupine up a tree. I had spotted it from the gravel
road we were driving on. It was ambling slowly along
minding its own business until I stepped from xhe car
to get its picture.

Now, porcupines are not noted for their speed, and
this one was barely able to reach a small sapling and
start climbing before I arrived on the scene. Twenty
feet above the ground our tree became so thin that ws
qould go no farther. The porcupine chose to climb out
onto a small branch, while I balanced precariously in
the tree trying to photograph this living pincughio^.
Unfortunately, the animal was determined to keep his'
soft, unprotected face away from me; all my ricture
clearly shewed was his back end and tail, wibh some
of his thirty thousand sharp, barbed quills*

God created the porcupine a slow and easy-going
citizen of the forest. He has few enemies. A bear or
mountain lion, even a skunk will lose in a battle with
a porky. So the porcupine lives a life of patience and
simple contentment, eating bark, sleeping in treetcps,
chewing sweat-salty aase-handles or other pieces of
wood* And he seldom gets disturbed.

Sometimes I wonder. Would we get a lot morf done
if we had the slow and steady purposefulness, tjl e
unhurried caljnness of the porcupine? Can anything
really hurt us if we live as we should? Won't truth
and right always prevail? Isn't there a special bless-
ing promised to the patient, the meek, the quiet people?
When impatience threatens, remember the porcupine. '

— Stanley K. Bru baker

NON-PROFIT ORG. -BULK RATE-U .S. POSTAGE PAID-PERMIT #10"
THE PILGRIM Sonera, Calif.

19201 Cherokee Rd.
Tuolumne » Calif,
95379

THE PILGRIM

VOL. 30 OCTOBER, 1983 ~ NO. 10

'Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." 1 Peter 2: u

SWEET WILL OF GOD

My stubborn will at last hath yielded;,
I would be Thine , and Thine alone;
And this the prayer my lips are bringing,
"Lord, let in me Thy will be done.-"

I ? m tired of sin, footsore and wearyf - . .
The darksome path hath dreary grown, -•■
But now a light has risen to. cheer me;
I find in Thee my Star, my Sun; - s

*, »■ '
Thy precious will, conquering Savior,
Doth now embrace and compass: me;
All discords hushed, my peace a river,
My soul a prisoned bird set free*. •■ . r :*---_;.

Shut in with Thee, Lord, forever,.
My wayward feet no more to roam;
What power from Thee my soul can sever?
The center of God ? s will my home.

Sweet will of God, still fold me closer,
Till I am wholly lost in Thee., ;

Mrs. Ct H. Morris

Address: THE PILGRIM, 19201 Cherokee Rd., Tuolumne, CA 95379

OBEDIENCE

Affairs in Jerusalem about the year oOL B„Co were
becoming more and more desperate o King Jehoiakim had
been given the throne by Pharoah and then later sub-
dued by the king of Babylon* Ke was soon to come to
a miserable end and to be buried like an ass outside
Jerusalemo Like their king, Judah was disobedient to
God and worshipped idols — had been this way for cen-
turies and were making no progress toward repentance*
The whole nation, too, was soon to come to a miserable
captivity in Babylon *

As one of the many signs and lessons to disobedient
Judah, God told Jeremiah to bring the Rechabites into
the house of the Lord and set wine before them* This
he did, inviting them to drink* But the family of
the Rechabites all refused saying that Jonadab (who
lived nearly 3oG years before )^ the son of Rechab, had
commanded his family, fl Ye shall drink no wine, neither
ye, nor your sons for ever*" (Jeremiah 35;6) All
those years this family had obeyed his commando

Now God told Jeremiah to confront the men of Judah
with this example of the Rechabites «, They were obe-
dient to an earthly fathers commando But Judah had
repeatedly refused to obey the voice of the God of
Heaven speaking to them through numerous prophets,,

The house of Rechab stands as an example of obedi-
ence even to us in our time* ^nd how much our gener-
ation needs to see these examples!

While obedience to God ! s law is the underlying
theme of the Old Testament, it is also a vital and
necessary ingredient of our service ; in this day of
grace * ; /

We would like to consider this subject of obedience
in three areas: the home, the country, and the
church* But first we must realize that obedience
does not come^about automatically! it must be taught

THE PILGRIM

and learned.

The home, though perhaps the least formal of our
institutions, has a definite structure in God's plan.
Ephesians 6:1 says, "Children, obey your parents in
the Lord: for this is right." Do we expect our chil-
dren .-.t.o search out this verse (and others like it) and
act.upon it? No, before a child is old enough to un-
derstand this command, the parents must begin to teach
him to obey. Much of *the blame for the rebellion and
disobedience of youth must be laid right at the door
of the parents for their failure to "train up the
child in the way he should go." Proverbs 23:13 says,
"Withhold not; correction from the child: for if thou
beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou
shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his
soul from hell." Children are to obey both parents.
The wife also is to obey her husband. Titus was to
instruct the older women' (2:4,5) "That they may te^ch
the young women to be sober, r to love their husbands",
to love their children, To be- discreet, chaste, keep-
ers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands^
that the word of God be not blasphettted<," Here again,
the disobedience and forwardness of woixien today is at
least partly due to a lack of insistence and leader-
ship on the part of the husbands. We cannot predict
the. behavior of ungodly women, but Christian women
surely will respond to the leadership of their hus-
bands if the husbands love their wives "even as Christ
also. -loved the church, and gave himself for it." "For
the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is
the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the
body." (Ephesians 5:23) We ignore and disobey this
God-ordained structure of the family at the peril of
our own happiness.

In our nation there is also a structure or form
that God instructs us to observe. Peter writes (I
Peter 2tl3,14), "Submit yourselves to every ordinance
of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king
as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are *
sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for

(continued on page 6)

TU^ PILGRIM

THE SANCTIFIGATION OF OUR DESIRES

In nature it is easy to watch the activity carried
on by desire e The very perpetuation of the various
species is guaranteed by the presence of desire, and
each individual member of each species is sustained
and nourished by the natural operation of desire*
Every normal creature desires a mate, and so the per-
petuation of life is achieved. Every creature desires
food, and the life of each is supported. Thus desire
is the servant of the God of nature and waits on His
will.

In the moral world things are not otherwise. Right
desires tend toward life and evil ones toward death*
That in essence is the scriptural teaching on this
subject* Whatever a man wants badly and persistently
enough will determine the man's character. In the
Pauline epistles the gravitational pull of the heart
in one direction or another is called the fl raind H . In
the eighth chapter of Romans, for instance, when Paul
refers to the "mind" he is referring to the sum of
our dominant desires. The mere intellect is not the
mind: the mind is intellect plus an emotional tug
strong enough to determine action.

By this definition it is easy to understand the
words of Romans 8:5-7, "For they that are after the
flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that
are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For
to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually
minded is life and- peace. Because the carnal mind is
enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be." When our dominant
desires are bad the whole life is bad as a conse-
quence; when the desires are good the life comes up
to the level of our desires, provided that we have
within us the enabling Spirit.

At the root of all true spiritual growth is a set
of right and sanctified desires. The whole Bible
teaches that we can have whatever we want badly
enough if, it hardly need be said, our desire is

TLE PILGRIM

according to the will of God. The desire after God
and holiness is back of all real spirituality, and
when that desire becomes dominant in the life nothing
can prevent us from having what we wanto The longing
cry of the God-hungry soul can be expressed in the
five words of the song, "Oh, to be like Thee!" While
this longing persists there will be steady growth in
grace and a constant progress toward Christlikeness.

Unsanctified desire will stop the growth of any
Christian life* Wrong desire perverts the moral judg-
ment so that we are unable to appraise the desired ob-
ject at its real value. However we try, still a thing
looks morally better because we want it* For that
reason our heart is often our worst counselor, for if
it is filled with desire it may give us bad advice,
pleading the purity of something that is in itself
anything but pure.

As Christians our only safety lies in complete
honesty. We must surrender our hearts to God so that
we have no unholy desires, then let the Scriptures
pronounce judgment on a contemplated course* If the '
Scriptures condemn an object, we must accept that - J
judgment and conform to it, no matter how we may for
the moment feel about it.

To want a thing, or feel that we want it, and thkti
to turn from it because we see that it is contrary to
the will of God is to win a great battle on a field
larger than Gettysburg or Bunker Hill. To bring our'
desires to the cross and allow them to be nailed there
with Christ is a good and beautiful thing. To be
tempted and yet to glorify God in the midst of it is
to honor Him where it counts. This is more pleasing
to God than any amount of sheltered and untempted
piety could ever be. To fight and to win in the name
of Christ is always better than to have known no con-
flict.

God is always glorified when He wins a moral vic-
tory over us, and we are always benefited, immeasurab-
ly and gloriously benefited. The glory of God and the
everlasting welfare of His people are always bound up

THE PILGRIM

together o The blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse not
only the actual sins which have been committed , but
the very inward desires so that we will not want to
sin„ Purified desires will tend toward righteousness
by a kind of gentle moral gravitation Q Then it can
be said that we are "spiritually minded 11 * A blessed
state indeed, and blessed are they that reach it*

By A, Uo Tozer in The Root of the Righteous

(Used by permission of Christian Publications,
Inco, 3025 Ilartzdale Drive, Camp Hill, PA 17011-
8870* For a complete listing of Tozer books
contact the publisher)

Selected by Linda Frick

CDEDIEiICE
(continued from page 3)

the praise of them that do well* 11 Peter also teaches
(verse 17) n « Honour the king* 11 One writer sums
it up with four ways to serve our country as Chris-
tianss 1) Honor its ruler a j 2) Pray for them (I
Timothy 2:1,2), 3) Pay its taxes or "tribute", and
4) Obey its laws* Of course, any law of God super-
sedes those of the earthly nations, and we ought to
obey God rather than man* But if we 'disobey reason-
able laws of our country, we are disobeying God

In the church our obedience must be to Christ , He
is the Head* He is "our King, too, but the "Head over
the body n signifies this relationship better than our
ideas of a king and his subjects* Paul makes it clear
in I Corinthians 12 tjiat we are members of Christ's
body Uho ever heard of a body rebelling against its
head? Uho ever heard of a hand refusing to dc its
service or disobeying the message sent from the brain?
This could happen only in a sick body«-one without the
proper connections in the nervous system*. Jesus says
several times and in various ways, "If ye love me,
keep my commandment s u (John 14 s 5 5 2.1 5 23 | 15:10,14;
Matthew It 24; Luke 6:46,47) If w<s are not properly

THE PILGRItl

connected to Christ., possibly this could explain our
disobedience*,

Perhaps of greater difficulty to us is our rela-
tionship to one another in the church. In Hebrews 13s
17 we read, "Obey them that have the rule over you,
and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls,
as they that must give account . . <>" God has given
responsibilities to leaders- in the church • He, has
also charged them that they are to be servants, as
the very meaning of the word "minister" ■ indicate So
In Matthew 23:8-11 Jesus cautions us: "But be not ye
called Kabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ 5.
and all ye are brethren And call no man your father
upon earth: for one is your Father which is • in -heaven »
Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Ilaster,
even Christ. But he that is greatest among, you shall
be your servant*" I Peter 5 contains good instruction
to elders as well as to each member*, In verse 5 s he
writes, , "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves .unto
the elder* Yea,. all of you be subject one to. another,
and be clothed with humility*, • e " .If these good^p)
loving attitudes can be reality and not just pcreten'se,
Satan will have no opportunity to do his dividing*, -

May Jesus Christ be Lord of our lives* Hay our
obedience and loyalty to Him. be displayed for all to
see--in the home, the church, and in the world. Hay
we, as the Rechabites were, be living* examples of obe-
dience in the midst of a disobedient; generation

■ . --L0C0

BAPTISMS ■ ■
Ve, the members of the Wakarusa congregation, re-
joiced that Miriam Coning and Rachel Beery responded
to the call of the' Master. They- received Christian
- -baptism October 2. May they be faithful and true to

— Melvin Coning

BIRTH

BOWSER - A daughter, Rosanna Elaine, born October 7
to Allen and Rhoda Bowser of Collins, Mississippi.

THE PILGRIM

TO YOUTH AND ^GED

The tiny newly-born in her crib looked curiously at
her mother and great grandparents looking at her
through the glass window of the baby room in the hos-
pital.

It was a time of victory indeed—of long waiting
and now of answered prayer*

Baby has had her first feed, a good rest in sleep,
and now awakes in a new experience of observation*
"Does anybody want me? *\nd where is that mama person
who held me so rapturously in her arms? 11 She may have
but dimly sensed our presence; but in her fresh inno-
cence , this was indeed a moment of truth for her — but
especially to us* Yes, baby dear, we do want you,
and so want to help in some way for you to get a good
start in life. And may the good angel who guards your
baby bed guide you into the arms of Him Who said,
"Suffer the little children to come unto me, and for-
bid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."
(See Matthew 19:14, Mark lo:13-16, Luke 18:15-17.)
"And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon
them, and blessed them,"

Jesus' blessing on these little ones was one of
joyful acceptance of them as innocent humans created
by God in Kis own image. Some of them perhaps would
never reach the age of accountability, but die in
their innocence. Jesus was to die for the sin curse
resting on Adam's ^ace„ After Jesus' resurrection He
could claim many such souls in His future Kingdomo

As He handed them back to their mothers, the moth-
ers would know of the joy of Jesus' acceptance of them
and of a far-reaching blessing into the future* In
them deep chords of 'faith, hope, and Christ love were
touched in the secret places of their hearts. Theirs
was now to revere the name of " Jesus " and to teach
these, their little darlings, this seed of the Kingdom,
a believing faith in their true Friend--this wonderful
Redeemer, Saviour, and earth* s coming King.

It was to such as these with the gospel seed in
their hearts that the later-bestowed Holy Spirit would

THE PILGRIM

call to the spread of the gospel of the Kingdom of
God. We see its start, even then, when Jesus rejoiced
in Spirit when Kis returning disciples reported to
Him their victories over Satan* (Luke 10:21) ,f I
thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, - that
thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,
and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Fathers
for so it seemed good in thy sight. H

And may we also praise and thank Him for that first
sower who sowed good seed in his field, and also for
His own faithful sowers of the living seed of Kis
Word from that time to this* In Jesus 1 call to the
weary and heavy laden, His first promise is to give
them rest for their soulso This promise holds true
even today* This first time of rest to the soul is
indeed a heavenly prize to the one who truly believes
in Himo Truly Jesus is the Alpha and Omega of the new
spiritual life so graciously bestowed*, •* ^ i '

This individual soul rest calls for a tinier -of body
and soul rest alone with Jesuso Jesus Himself points
the way to the inner closet with the door closed*,
(Matthew 6:6) It is to be a personal experience of-
Spirit reality, where, as Paul would say (Romans 8:16):
"The- Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of Godo" Addressing God here
as " Father " may well be an experience of inner assur-
ance and peaceful rest in Jesus* Here body, soul and
spirit join in a confirmation of that open confession
of Christ before men| and the rested soul rejoices in
full committal to .Christ*

I see in memory once more the Christian youth, new-
ly baptized in water, finally finding himself back in
his bedroom* The familiar home scenes and room seem
the same, and yet there is an inner sense of newness*
The loving ones who had given him the hand of fellow-
ship with kind words of encouragement have returned
to their homes* Living parents seemed rather strange-
ly busy elsewhere*

The decision to be baptized had been his, and his
the blessing of willing obedience to Christ* He must

10 THE -PILGRIM ,

first savor this freedom from the burden of sin that
he had so keenly felt in coming out of the wscer. As
wonderful as that was, there was also, a new sense of
loving God as Father, and Jesus Christ His Son, Whom
He had sent* There was also a new sense of loving the
dear brethren and sisters in the faith of Jesus..

As Jesus was tempted by Satan after His baptism,
even so today Satan still tempts the new Christian in
his first alone time* Already he could hear the jeers
and scoffings of his former associates; and now flesh-
ly appetites for worldly pleasures and ambitions
pulled on the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life, (I John 2; 16) Publicly he had
renounced these In this alone rest time a moment of
truth appeared--a searching of the heart for any per-
sonal reservations for selfish indulgence*. How true
were Jesus 1 words-, "The Spirit is willing, but the
flesh is weako u But, all praise to God, the presence
of a risen Saviour was real indeed! How sweet the
promise of the abiding Holy Spirit!

How kind of God to let His newly born again child
feel this new weight of responsibility in making a de-
cision with the will in line with His holy written
Word* The Spirit and the understanding now rejoiced
in that first decision for Christ*. There was now a
sense of salvation as a good conscience answered back
to God and to a resurrected Saviour*

God's truth in His Son is always both positive and
negative*. In the .rejoicings of salvation there are
always deep Turnings for everyday life. As II Corin-
thians 6:17: "Wherefore come out from among them, and
be ye. separate, saitb the Lord, and touch not the un-
clean thing: and I will receive you, And will be a
Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters,
saith the Lord Almightyo M In I Peter 2:1-3 the Apos-
tle goes directly to the secret life of God's child,
"Wherefore layijng aside all malice, and all guile, and
hypocrisies, an'd envies, and all evil speakings, As
newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may gro^w thereby: If so be ye have tasted

THE PILGRIM

that the Lord is gracious** 3

Our separation is to be away from the world, from
Satan and his ranks of siru Any decision for Christ
that ignores these warnings is incomplete* It is to
be a holy separati on unto God. The new babe in Christ
starts that holy separation in desiring the pure milk
of the Word* The abiding Holy Spirit within will give
spirit light upon the written Word of God Q

A school of learning of Jesus is started where the
soul mind drinks in sweet portions of God's Word, as
the Holy Spirit enlightens them to our spirit and
understanding* The yoke of Christ He adjusts to
easily fit our soul's r^d* A -"light 11 burden of duty
appears as the whitening harvest fields of the Lord
become real to our new spirit vision* As we apply
these words now hidden in the heart to our own
thought s, ways, and doings, we receive spiritual
strength to witness' for. Him to others every day* ........

Your brother in Christ,
James D* Cover
Modesto, California

CHRISTIAN WARFARE ■• • -, ,,• • .

The Apostle Paul tells us the weapons of our war-
fare are not carnal but mighty through God to the
pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations
and every high thing that exalts itself against the
knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ*

So we understand the battle ground is right in our
own hearts*

James chapter 4 gives many of these conflicts tak-
ing place*

Peter says the devil as a roaring lion walketh
about seeking whom he may devour*

— Ernest Wagner

Modesto, California

12 THE PILGRIM

HISTORICAL
HISTORY OF THE BIBLE

JEREMIAH AND LAMENTATIONS

(For our historical study we offer here p$rt of
Matthew Henry's writings on these two books.,}

"Concerning this prophet Jeremiah we may observe,
I) That he began young, and therefore could say, from
his own experience, that it is good for a man to bear
the yo ke in his youth , the yoke both of service and of
affliction. (Lamentations 3; 27) Jerome observes that :
Isaiah, who had more years, had his tongue touched with
a coal of fire, to purge away his iniquity (ch* 6:7),
but that when God touched Jeremiah's mouth, nothing
was said of the purging of his iniquity (ch* 1:9), be-
cause of his tender years* II) That he continued long
a prophet, some reckon fifty years, others above forty*
lie began in the thirteenth year of Josiah, that good
king, but he continued through all the wicked reigns
that followed* III) That he was a reproving prophet,
sent in God f s name to tell Jacob of -their sins and to
warn them of the judgments of God; and the critics ob-
serve that therefore his style is more plain and
rough, and less polite, than that of Isaiah and some
others of the prophets* Plain-dealing is best when we
are dealing with sinners to bring them to repentance*
IV) That he was a weeping prophet 5 so he is commonly
called, not only because he penned the Lamentations,
but because he was all along a mournful spectator of
the sins of his people* V) That he was a suffering
prophet* Fie was persecuted by his own people more
than any of them, as we shall find in the stpry of
this book| for he lived and preached just before the
Jews 1 destruction by the Chaldeans, when their char-
acter seems to have been the same as it was just be-
fore their destruction by the Romans, when they killed
the Lord Jesus, and persecuted his disciples, pleased
not God, and were contrary to al 1 men, for wrath had
come upon them to the- uttermost. (I Thessalonians 2:15^
16) The last account we have of him is that the

THE PILGRIM 13

remaining Jews forced him to go down with them into
Egypt | whereas the current tradition is, among Jews
and Christians, that he suffered martyrdom,, Hottinger,
out of Elmakin, an Arabic historian, relates that,
continuing to prophesy in Egypt against the Egyptians
and other nations, he was stoned to death; and that
long after, when Alexander entered Egypt, he took up
the bones of Jeremiah where they were buried in ob-
scurity, and carried them to Alexandria, and buried
them there* The prophecies of this book which we have
in the first nineteen chapters seem to be the heads of
the Sermons he preached in a way of general reproof
for sin; afterwards they are more particular, mixed
with the history of his day, but not placed in due
order- of time c With the threatenings are intermixed
many gracious promises of mercy to the penitent, „ of .
the deliverance of the Jews out of their captivity*.,,
and some that have a plain reference to the kingdom
of the Messiah*" ,,

"We have (in Jeremiah) the predictions of the des-
olations of Judah and Jerusalem, and then the history
of them, to show how the predictions were accomplished,
and (in Lamentations) we have the expressions of his
sorrow upon occasion of them When he saw these ca-
lamities at a distance, he wished that his head were
waters and his eyes fountains of tears : and, when
they came, he wept and was far from being disaffected
to his country. Though his country had been unkind to
him, and though the ruin of it was a proof that he was
a true prophet, yet he sadly lamented it*

"The occasion of these Lamentations was the destruc-
tion of Judah and Jerusalem by the Chaldean army and
the dissolution of the Jewish state both civil and ec-
clesiastical* Some will have these to be the Lamenta-
tions which Jeremiah penned upon occasion of the death
of Josiah (II Chronicles 35:25) But, they seem to be
penned of those calamities when they had already come,
and there is nothing of Josiah in them* No, it is
Jerusalem's funeral that this is an elegy upon*

"The composition of it is not only poetical, but

14 THE PILGRIi;

alphabetical, all except the fifth chapter* Each
verse begins with a letter in the order of the Hebrew
alphabet, the first aleph , the second, beth , etc, but
the third chapter is a triple alphabet, the first
three beginning with aleph , the next three with beth,
etc« f which was a help to memory and an elegance in
writingo In the second, third, and fourth chapters
the letter £e is put before ajin , which in all the
Hebrew alphabets follows it, Dr„ Lightfoot offers
this conjecture. That the letter ajin , which is the
numeral letter for LXX, by being displaced, put them
in mind of the seventy years at the end of which God
would turn again their captivity**

u The use of it to the piqus Jews in their suffer-
ings, furnishing them with spiritual language to ex-
press their natural grief , helping to preserve the
remembrance of Zion among them, when they were in
Babylono They are here taught to mourn for sin and
mourn to God," .;.

Matthew Henry' s Commentary
Edited by Leslie Fo Church,. Ph^
(pages 935 and 1024)

1 '■ " 100 YEARS AGO

This article appeared in the September, 18S3
Vindicator o

"NO THANKS FOR YOUR LABOR"

How often do persons seek to dissuade others from
a course of weli-dQing by the remark: "You will get
no thanks for your labor;" how many persons, when
looking over the toils of long years, feel a secret
p&ng as they think how little their kindly efforts are
appreciated*

But the work of the servant of God is not done to
win the- thanks of mortals^ he labors with a higher
aimf he has. a grand object in view; he is a servant,
not of men, but of God: and the work he does is not
for the hope of earthly praise or earthly pay_ 9 but for

___ THE PILGRIM ; ; 15

the glory of God and the honor of his Heavenly Master<>

He who labors to secure the thanks of men will find
himself doomed to perpetual disappointment He lives
in an unthankful world; ; his labor is a thankless task,
and he will often become discouraged, and perhaps
abandon his undertakings* On the other hand, he who
labors to please the Lord, and has only the glory of
God in view, will find the blessing of the Divine ap-
proval resting upon him during his pilgrimage, and at
the end he will receive from the Master a gracious
welcome and a great rewardo

Let us purpose in our hearts to do right, thanks or
no thanks, and not be turned away from our fidelity to
God and our efforts to benefit man by any ingratitude
or neglect which we may experience*, A coming day will
right our wrongs, and in that day the neglected and
despised servants of God shall know of a truth that
their labor was not in vain in the Lord e

Listen to the words of the great Teacher: "As ye
would that men should do to you, do ye also to them
likewise** For if ye love them which love you, what
thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love
them* And if ye do good to them which do good to you,
what thank have ye? for sinners also do the same*
And if ye lend to them of whom ye 1 hope to receive,
what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners,
to receive as much again But love ye your enemies,
and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing againj and
your reward shall, be great, and ye shall be the chil-
dren of the Highestf for he is kind unto the unthank-
ful and to the evil,," (Luke 6:31-35)

--Selected by John Schonwald

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and
they that love It shall eat the £ruit thereof. "

j, / Proverbs 18:21

The tongue has tremendous po^er for good or for
evil. With our tongues we can- /encourage- and build or
we can criticize, tear down, and destroy . if we love
this power in either direction, we will reap its fruit.

16 CHILDREN'S PAGE

"Lessons from Nature" Series
A TIME TO DIE

Silently, slowly, fluttering one by one pn the cool
autumn currents of air, the leaves are falling. All
summer long they were beautiful and green; ^ach single
leaf was a miniature factory designed by God to change
sunshine into sugar as it made food energy for the
tree it grew on.

But now the time of serving the tree is past. The
leaves have changed to brown or gold or yellow or red.
The stems that held the leaves tightly to their twigs
have dried up and let go. And each fluttering leaf,
like a colorful symbol of death, falls to the ground.

What is death? Why must things die? Should we
fear death? The wise man Solomon said long ago that
"To every thing there is a season* * « a time to be
born, and a time to die." But why must we die?

How thankful we can be that the Holy Bible has all
the answers we need about death* It teaches us clear-
ly that death came as a result of man's disobedience
to Gode It teaches us that wicked men and women
should indeed fear to die if they refuse to obey God.
It teaches us, on the other hand, that little children
do not need to fear death, "for of such is the kingdom
of heaven*" It teaches that death destroys thi^ body
that we live in, but not our spirit. And it teaches
us that the obedient child of God will be giveri a much
more perfect and glorious body after we are brcjught
back to life. What a privilege, that we can someday
trade this earthly body and the sorrows of this life
in on a body that will never die in a perfect xforld!

--Stanley K. Brubsjker

■ ■- ■■■■ .. — . ■ ;■ ■ - • ; - ■ "" ■— ■—■ ' ■ . ' ; „ l 7 ■■■ ""; , "" ■; - "_■ <• ■■ " ■ ■ » ■■ ■ — ' ■— ■— — g '■ * ' '" — ' ■— -■■■■ . ■■■■■ ■ ■ — ■■ " ■» ■■■ ■ ■ ■ > '■ " ■ j , '' »

NON-PROFIT ORG. -BULK RATE-U.S. POSTAGE PAID-PERMIT #10

THE PILGRIM Son ° ra ' ballf "

19201 Cherokee Rd.
Tuolumne, Calif.
95379

THE PILGRIM

VOL. 30 NOVEMBER, 1983 NO, 11

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." i Peter 2:11

IN EVERYTHING GIV3 THANKS

For the" food upon my table ,

For the clothes that I may wear,
For the shelter of my little home,

For all the comforts there;
For health to do my daily tasks,

For eyes that I may see,
For ears to hear the- songs of joy,

Dear God, I now thank Thee,

For light that brightens every day

And my peaceful rest at night,
For the still, small voice that helps
me choose

Between the wrong and right;
For the fellowship of my friends,

And neighbors kind and true;
For trees and flowers, birds and bees,

And the skies above the blue.

Oh, I couldn ! t count my blessings;

I have many, many more,
And each day I am more thankful

Than I was 'the day before ;
And for Christy my loving Saviour,

Throughout all eternity,
My grateful heart will sing Thy praise

And offer thanks to Thee.

— Anonymous

Address: THE PILGRIM, 19201 Cherokee Rd., Tuolumne, CA 95379

THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE

f! give thanks unto the Lord; for he Is good: for
his mercy endureth forever . "

"Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the
Lord; praise him ye servants of the Lord. 11

M Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name..."

"Bless the Lord, my soul: and all that is with-
in me, bless his holy name."-

With such expressions and many more, the Psalmist
pours out his praise to God* This area of praise
and thanksgiving evidently comprised a large part of
King David T s worship and his experience with God,
We would like to consider what part this also should
play in our lives. How much attention should we
give to expressions of praise? If we live a life of
obedience, should we still feel obliged to express
thanks to God? How do we begin to praise Him better?

Answering these questions, we first should know
that if these expressions come from a feeling of w
obligation, we probably have missed the main lesson.
To be worth much, our praise should be spontaneous,
issuing from our hearts in gratitude and not by
compulsion. Some, perhaps, are like the pomegranate
or the black walnujb that give up their fruit only by
patient picking and squeezing. But we should be
more like an overflowing spring, pouring out? praise
abundantly.

King David, from whom these expressions came so
freely, was said to' v be a man after God's own heart.
This must mean that his heart was like God's own
hearty or at least he had the kind of heart God was
looking for to choose as the leader of His people.
The heart must be right or the expressions will not
be right. Jesus said (Matthew 12:34,35) , "0 gener-
ation of vipers, h^w can ye, being evil, speak good

THE PILGRIM ___ 3

things? for out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaketh, A good man out of the good treasure
of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil
man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil
things . " So we see that our words are the indicators
of what is in our hearts — like a, dial or gauge on the
outside of a pressure cooker,

James writes about the evils of the tongue. He
says (3: 8-12) j M But the tongue can no man tame; it is
an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless
we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men,
which are made after the similitude of God. Out of
the same mouth proceedeth blessing and ciirsing. My
brethren, these th ings oug ht not so to be . Doth a
fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and
bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive
berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both
yield salt water and fresh. rf

We can conclude from these Scriptures that the way
to have praise and thanksgiving coming from our lips
is to have a heart of gratitude. We do not have this
kind of heart by nature, -and we may feel very helpless
to obtain it. The truth is that we are powerless to
obtain this heart by ourselves, God has promised to
remove the ,r stony heart" and give us a soft n heart of
flesh" if we yield to Him. (Ezekiel 11:19-21) By the
sacrifice and atonement of Jesus, we can be born again
and made new. David prayed, " Create in me a clean
heart, God; and renew a right spirit within me. n

So praise and thanksgiving begin inside. If we
really do feel this in our hearts and still have diffi-
culty expressing it, there are positive steps we can
take* First, turn to the Scriptures and read the
expressions of praise of the Bible writers^ Make them
your owi. Sing songs of the Christian faith that
others have composed. They are for this purpose — to
give expression to the feelings in the heart. We can
set' aside a time to praise God silently and privately.
This will become part of our thinking and will show
in our conversation. By all means, let us approach

U THE PILGRIM

the progress we wish to make spiritually the way we
would any other real concern. If we really want to
learn to cook, we practice. If we want to learn to
type, we get busy and start typing. If we really
want, in our hearts 3 to be more productive and thank-
ful in our conversation, we must learn by doing. If
the garage or basement needs cleaning, we do not get
far by admiring or envying the clean basement of
someone else. Neither can we clean up our speech
without taking positive steps.

In conclusion, we do believe thanksgiving and
praise are Important. James writes further:- n Who Is
a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let
him shew out of a good conversation his works with
meekness of wisdom. " When we remember that Jesus
said we will give account of every idle word and be
justified or condemned by our words, we must realize
that this should have our attention and time. Praise
and thanksgiving to God for His saving us and provid-
ing for us will not be counted idle words. May we
grow in this grace.

"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."
(II Corinthians 9:15) — L.C.

THANKSGIVING

For hope that waits, for faith that dares,
For patience that still smiles and bears,
For love that fails not, nor withstands;
For healing touch of children's hands,
For happy labor, high intent,
For all lifers blessed sacrament,
Comrade of our nights and days,
Thou givest all things, take our praise I

— Arthur Ketchum (Selected)

Being enriched in e^ery thing to all bountifulness,
which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

— II Corinthians 9:11

THE PILGRIM

"IN SEARCH OF SIN"

While reading The Economist this month, I ran across
an article with the above title. The impact of the
article, to me, was the realization of how our modern
American society has diluted the condemning social
pressures which were once felt by those committing
such sins as adultery, homosexuality, abortion, immod-
esty, greed, etc.

It seems' that as "society" begins to accept such
practices as normal, the more the liberal churchmen
also be.ffin to accept them and make accomodation for
such begavior among their members. I imagine they say
that "we must change with the times,"

We know, however, that God's values do not -• change* —
that what was sin yesterday is sin today and will be
sin tomorrow, "" ...-;:

The article- stated correctly that "the job of the-
church is the salvation of souls," I believe it- is,-; ■?
Incumbent on all Christians to reach out to unre gener-
ated souls wherever they are to be found, and whatever
their age, to let them know of the saving power of : -
Jesus Christ,

To realise the need for Christ, one must first under-
stand the depth of one's sin. It is through Scripture
and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit that this
is possible. Society, it seems, helps to rationalize
away our sin rather than convict' us of our sinfulness*

The article concluded that " the loss of a sense of
i

sin Is the most frightening of all evils which afflict
the world today. 11 The article "took issue with those
who reduce the concept of sin to a l social deviation',
requiring no forgiveness but only therapeutical treat-
ment; or blame sin bn social injustice, so that if
there is any sin at all, it rests on the shoulders of
those who preserve the system,"

It seems, then, that our challenge is to present
an alternate testimony to that of the world. As our
society and the conviction of some churches deteriorate,
It becomes vitally important that we become a more

6 THE PILGRIM

visable and attractive alternative to those searching
for the truth of Jesus Christ. We mttst help feed a
spiritually starving world with this tr Bread of eter-
nal life." , a .

— John Schonwald

Modesto, California

TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE KAY HE SHOULD GO

Solomon tells us in Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a
child in the way he should got and when he is old, he
will not depart from it." Can we as parents compre-
hend our tremendous responsibility here? We are
molding the destiny of our children and grandchildren,
and it should occupy the very maximum joint effort
and wisdom of both parents.

Some will say, "How young do we start to train
them?" It has been said that it is possible for
nurses and mothers to start spoiling infants the day
they are born. At least, it becomes us to insure
that we do start this training early. There is very
little hope of reforming them later in life, I once
heard a young man complain that his folks made him
go to church, which he took exception to.

We are born with a tendency toward a sinful, rebel-
lious nature. Wise parents will have the wisdom and
foresight to prevent this wicked nature from develop-
ing in the lives of their infants. Mothers are with
the children more than the fathers are in their young
and tender years. Hence, we see the mother 1 s atti-
tudes deeply reflected on the children. "The hand
that rocks the cradle rules the world."

Solomon puts children in two categories; wise and
foolish* Proverbs 13:1: "A wise son heareth his
father T s instruction.,." Proverbs 15:5: "A fool de-
despiseth his father T s instruction..." Children have
a choice to be wise or foolish. When I was young I
had such a strong desire to learn that I not only
"heard" my father, but I "solicited" his opinion as
long as he lived, knowing that he had been over the

THE PILGRIM ___ 7

road and would know. He died at eighty, and I was
forty. Can it be that Solomon realized that there were
and would be some that would not feel the need for
fatherly Instruction, but would despise it? A Bible
commentator once wrote that n he is most pathetic who
is in dire need and doesn't know it." I have heard
people in their 90' s say that they are still learning.
Solomon puts a lot of emphasis on our striving dili-
gently to get wisdom.

Some may claim that their parents are too strict.
Let us take a leaf out of T 'the book of the animal king-
dom." Sheep may be grazing on a pasture with the lambs,
and when the mother decides to feed her lambs, she just
gives a "blat" which her lambs understand, and they
auickly come from bath sides and really feed until the
ewe decides that it Is enough. Then she just take.s a
few steps forward, then continues to graze. The lambs
don't call or bunt for more. Final! No compromise I
Is that too strict? We call them dumb, animals! Some
think that children need to be shown love. and. kindness
which is true. But It dare not blurr or blot out our
duty as parents to n train up" our children. Solomon
tells us in Proverbs 13:24, "He that spareth his. rod
hateth his son: but he tha t loveth him chasteneth him
bet imes . 11 Also, in Hebrews 12:11 we read, "Now no
chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but
grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peace-
able fruit of righteousness unto them which are exer-
cised thereby.' 1 Since I was small the words "chasten"
and "train" have become bad words and are giving way
to "love" and "compromise."

We are living in' an age now when' children should
have opportunity for "self-expression." Little wonder
that crime Is on such an increase. The Bible doesn T t
change, and let us as God's people, not become slack
in this all-Important task.

When infants are strictly taught the meaning of
yes and no, and also of do and don't, they learn to
experience and better understand Proverbs 13:15, n The
way of transgressors is hard," Another Bible commen-

THE PILGRIM

tator tells us that lack of responsible training and
discipline of children in the home is one of the
basic reasons for the rebellion among cur youth today,

—Amos Baker
Maple , Ontario

THE CRITICS' WORK

The current nuclear freeze movement, like similar
movements of the past, centers on the supposed evil
intentions of this nation 1 s leaders, while seemingly
believing the peace rhetoric of leaders of some other
nations who cry "peace, peace 11 while covertly engag-
ing in world-wide terrorism that makes peace imposs-
ible,, Indeed, one gets the impression in reading some
religious publications that the problems of the world
are largely the result of this nation 1 s imperialism
and greed. The problems of strife-torn Central Amer-
ica are blamed largely on this nation. The plight of
the Palestinians and the instability in the Mideast
are blamed largely on the United States* connection
there. The plight of the Afgans Is even somehow
related to the bad influence of this nation.

In one sense, this freedom to critize is a good
sign. It Indicates freedoms which others in the
more "peace loving 1 ' nations are not enjoying. History
would indicate that the most good is accomplished
where criticism is allowed, but where people have
enough common sense to be responsible in it. In
another sense, it indicates an irresponsible naivete
and may even indicate they are pawns of communism 1 s
fifth column* The critics claim political neutrality,
but is not the object of our criticism an indication
of our loyalty?

One can d e tect evidence of this same tendency
among some in the church today. Critics speak dis-
paragingly of their church and her policies while
lauding the merits of others. Decisions by our lead-
ers are challenged while similar decisions by leaders

THE PILGRIM

in other groups are lauded. The church is criticized
for feeling she is the only right church while splinter
groups who reject all other groups and start their own
(because no one else is right) are defended. Organi-
zation and committees are jeered at, but the work they
accomplish is ignored. Disciplinary work is criticized
as high-handed and unfeeling. "Stay close to the.
erring," they say, "instead of pushing them out/" and
completely ignore the efforts of leaders to stay close
by spending time in counseling and spiritual help.

One can conclude here as well that at best these
critics are afflicted with a degree of naivete that
leads them to stay by the edge of the pasture and sees
the grass as greener on the other side of the fence
while ignoring and avoiding the rich provision in the
center of their own pasture. It seems they would
rather be at the edge and be critical than contribute
too much in the center. At best it may be naivete,
but worse, it may be part of the enemy 1 s fifth column —
part of his plan to weaken the fellowship' from within
by spreading dissatisfaction. The degree of this dis-
satisfaction one sees in various groups across the
land makes it identifiable as an end-time tactic of
the enemy.

We appreciate the many loyal among us who are giving
solid support for the work and are contributing to the
strength of the church. But the strain the critics
place on the stength of the church is beyond calcula-
tion. It eventually develops, in those who should know
better, an embarrassment for the church and her stand
and a reluctance to bring in souls because of the mis-
guided conception that "there is so little to offer,"
The church has much to offer. In reality, the problem
becomes the dissatisfaction itself rather than any of
the problems the critics attack. The critics them-
selves become responsible for receiving the weak tc
doubtful disputations. The blessings of sound church
life are somehow clouded by this cancerous leaven.
If left to take its course, it will eventually bring
the destruction of the good with nothing to replace it,

10 THE PILGRIM

The critics 1 work is countered by those who do
appreciate the church and defend her. These individ-
uals prove it is possible to speak about the church
and her work without a downgrading connotation. They
contribute to the future blessing of the fellowship by
encouragement and assurance of support to the leaders.
They are inspired to evangelism because they are con-
vinced we can do many good if they come with us. We
are also glad that the majority of our brethren are
within this category. May God multiply their number
to the future blessing of His work.

By Glenn M. Sensenig in The Eastern Mennonite
Testimony Selected by Steve Scott

OBITUARY

LESTER DAVID SELL, age 51 years, of 333 S. Second
St., Tipp City, Ohio, died October 18, 1983, at the
University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

He was born near Bradford, Ohio, August 17, 1932,,
a son of Creele E. and Susie (Lavy) Sell. They
survive .

Mr. Sell was a member of the Worldwide Church of
God and was owner and- operator of A-l Cleaning Service
in Tipp City,

Also surviving are his wife, the former Darlene
Glick; two daughters; Mrs. Max Carey (Sheryl) of
Tipp City; Mrs. Michael Woelfer (Carol) of Dayton;
four brothers: Lee of California; Charles of Green-
ville; Calvin of Bradford; and Glen of Oklahoma;
three sisters: Mrs; Eugene Wagner (Ruby); Mrs. Martha
Trissel; and Mrs, Jerry Howel (Edith); one foster
sister: Mrs, Bob McGee (Jerry); and one foster
brother: William Edward Hodge; and two grandsons.

Services were held at 1 P.M., September 21, at
Bayliff Funeral Home, Tipp City, officiated by Ray
Meyers. Burial was in Maple Hill Cemetery, Tipp City.

— The Family

THE PILGRIM 11

NOTE OF THANKS

We wish to thank all who helped in this our time of
sorrow, for the food, expressions of sympathy, cards,
thoughts, and prayers,

The love and concern of others is a big help in
times of trouble and sorrow. We appreciate every one,
and may God bless you all,

— Creele and Susie Sell
and Family

WAIT NOT!

Wait not till death has dulled the ear,
Before the tender word is said;
But say it .-now, go say it now,
Before thy season sweet has fled.

If thou hast smiles, wait not until
Thy loved lie in their last low bed;
But smile today; oh, smile just now!
Thou canst not smile beside the dead.

Wait not to lift, the burden, sad,

Till feet grow faint, and bowed forms ache;

But go today — this very hour,

With cordials sweet for hearts that break.

If thou hast loving thoughts to pen,
Defer not till "another day;"
But write thy'.message sweet just now;
Regret walks ever with delay.

Yes, haste with words and smiles and balm;
Time r s swift-winged chariot will not wait;
And hearts will hurt and hope depart,
While thy sad eyes shall read, M Too late I"

By Estelle Gaines

Selected .by Susie Sell

12 _ THE PI LGRI M

HISTORICAL
HISTORY OF THE BIBLE

EZEKIEL

Ezekiel was a priest, younger that Jeremiah, Some
say he may have been Jeremiah ! s pupil , He was car-
ried to Babylon in 597 B.C* as a captive and was
there about 2? years until he died. He recorded his
prophecy in Babylon as we shall see in this selection
from Matthew Henry* s Commentary , page 1033.

n The writer (of this prophecy) wasEzekielj his
name signifies, The strength of God , or one girt or
strengthened of God, He girded up the loins of his
mind to the service, and God put strength into him,
*I have made thy face strong against their faces. 1
If we give credit to the tradition of the Jews, he
was put to death by the captives in Babylon for his
boldness in reproving them; it is stated that his
brains were dashed out. An Arabic historian says
that he was put to death and was burled in the
sepulchre of Shem the son of Noah,

rt Concerning the date, the place, and the time.
the scene is laid in Babylon, when it was a house of
bondage to the Israel of God; there the prophecies
of this book were written, when the prophet himself,
and the people to 'whom he prophesied, were ©aptives
there. Ezekiel prophesied in the beginning of the
captivity, It was an Indication of God's goodwill
and His gracious designs in their affliction, that
He raised up prophets to convince them when, in the
beginning of their troubles they were unhumbled, which
was Ezekiel* s business, and to comfort them when they
were dejected and discouraged,

"Concerning the matter and scope of it-. There is
much that is mysterious, dark, and hard to be under-
stood, especially in the beginning and the latter end
of it; therefore the Jews forbade the reading pf it

THE PILGRIM 13

to their young men till they came to be thirty years
of age, lest by the difficulties they met they should
be prejudiced against the Scriptures; but if we read
these difficult parts with humility and reverence , and
search them diligently, though we may not be able to
untie all the knots, any more than we can solve all
the phenomena in the book of nature, yet we may from
them, as from the book of nature, gather a great deal
for the confirming of our faith and the encouraging
of our hope in God,

"Though the visions here be intricate, such as an
elephant may swim in, yet the sermons are mostly plain,
such as a lamb may wade in; and the chief design is to
show God ! s people their transgressions, that in their
captivity they might be repenting and not repining.
As it was of great use to the oppressed captives them-
selves to have a prophet with them, so it was a testi-
mony to their religion against their oppressors who
ridiculed it and them.

"Though the reproofs and the threatenings here are
sharp and bold, yet towards the close of the book very
comfortable assurances are given of great mercy God
had in store for them; and there one finds some refer-
ence to gospel times, and its accomplishment in the
kingdom of the Messiah. ..."

MEDITATION

WRITING

What a wonderful ability God has given to men! that
they by study and learning can convey their thoughts to
one another by making certain marks so another who is
taught in the same language can understand. The Lord
made use of this by having His apostles write accounts
of His ministry, Then bv printing, the records were
preserved amd made available to all languages and na-
tions. Matthew 24:14: "This gospel of the kingdom shall
be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations; and then shall the end come ! J M Today whosoever
will may take the water of life freely. rr . r , orif T//a<*ner

14 THE PILGR IM _ _______

TRAVELING ON

My earthly plans were made, I thought

my" path all clear , %

My hearty with song o'er flowed —

the world seemed full of cheer;
My Lord I wished to serve , to take Him

for my guide ,
To keep so close that I could feel Him

by my side,
And so I traveled onl

But suddenly, in skies so clear

and full of light
The clouds fell thick and fast;

the days seemed changed to night.
Instead of paths so clear and full

of things so sweet,
Rough things and thorns and stones

seemed all about my feet;
I scarce could travel oni

I bowed my head and asked why now

this change should come,
And murmured, "Lord, is this because

of what I've done?
Has not the path been full enough

of pain and care?
Why should my path be changed

to dark from fair?"
But still I traveled onl

I listened quietly and then

there came a voice ,
"■This path Is mine, dear child, »

not yours; I made the choice.
'Tis sure this way will be the

best for you and me."
And so we traveled onl

Author unknown

Selected by Susan R. Coning

THE PILGRIM l r -

FDR THE PILGRIM

God was good to us and helped and allowed us to
make another trip to the United States, so we thank
Him and want to thank each of you for your love and
hospitality shown to us while we were there with you.
We appreciated your interest and concern for our loved
ones here in Brazil, The, joy of seeing our loved ones
and the wonderful time of fellowship we enjoyed while
there with you Is a foretaste of the many joys God
has prepared for those that love Him, throughout
eternity.

We were happy to see some of our loved ones waiting
for us at the bus station when we arrived in- Rio -.Verde,
and what a joyous homecoming it was I

May we remember each other in prayer and be. close
in heart, and walk each day as God would have us to>
May we live that if we don't, meet on this earth again,
that we may meet in heaven and spend eternity with
all the saints.

Wade and Violet Flora and Family
C.P. 130, Rio Verde, Goias ■■.
Brasil, S. A. 76200

THIS IS THE HOUR

Reap nowl The fields are harvest white;
Bring in the sheaves at setting sun;
Soon will the darkened veil of night
Proclaim the reaper 1 s work is done!

While yet the sunlight lingers "on
Bring in the precious grain for Himl
The reaper's, hour is almost gone,
And freedom's torch .is growing diml

This is the hourl Mo longer wait;
Bring forth the harvest from the land;
Soon may the Master cry, "Too late I"
And strike the sickle from thy hand I

By Dan H. Reese Selected

16 CHILDREN'S PAGE

"Lessons from Nature 11 Series

\m IS WISE?
Have you ever wondered which animal is the wisest?
Perhaps the familiar dog would be your answer. Some
dogs have beeri so well-trained that they seem to under-
stand every word their master speaks. They sit, stand,
shake hands,' lie down, come, go, fetch, heel, and beg
at a mere word. Some dogs can even keep a large flock
of: sheep going where they 1 re supposed to go, bringing
in all the stray sheep at the edge of the flock, with
no guidance but some whistles from the human shepherd,
Otherdogs have suddenly sensed danger and saved people f s
lives with their understanding and auick action.

Or, your mind might go to the dolphin, that well-
trained performer at aquarium shows. It can jump
through hoops above the water, swim in perfect forma-
tion with other dolphins, fetch a thrown ball or stick,
and do many other tricks.

Then, of course, there is the chimpanzee, the
animal to which God gave some limited ability to work
out simple problems in finding its food, and to remem-
ber what it has learned.

But one thing Is sure. There is no animal anywhere
with as much intelligence as you have. An owl may
loo k wise, a parrot may sound wise, but you are many
thousands of times more intelligent than they are. Can
you imagine any animal taking the achievement tests
you take, or singing & song, or building a model air-
plane, or memorizing and ouoting Bible verses without
missing a word? God has certainly given a much greater
intelligende and wisdom to us than to the animals!

— Stanley K. Brubaker

NON-PROFIT 1 ORG. -BULK RATE-U.S. POSTAGE PAJD-PERMI #10
THE PILGRIM Sonora, Calif.

19201 Cherokee Rd.
Tuolumne, Calif.
95379

THE PILGRIM

VOL. 30 DECEMBER, 1983 NO. 12

'Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." / Peter 2:77

BLESS THE .BLESSED MORN

Lo, God, our God, has .come I :
To us a Child is bornj- . ; . : - :

To us a Son is given;

Bless, bless the blessed morn,

0, happy, lowly, lofty birth j

Now God, our God, has come to earth.

Rejoice! Our God has come.

In- -love and lowliness.
The Son of God has come,

The sons of men to bless.
God with us now descends to dwell,
God in our flesh. Immanuel.

Praise ye the Word made flesh I

True God,. true man ia He.
^raise ye 'the Christ of God!

To Him all glory be.
Praise ye the Lamb that once was slain,
Praise ye the King that comes to reign.

— Horatius Bonar

• •

Address: THE PILGRIM, 19201 Cherokee Rd., Tuolumne, CA 95379

Ji-CTJS CHRIST: &H0 IS HE?

Angels rejoiced in the heavens above the Bethlehem
field as they announced the birth of Jesus, the royal
Son of Godo Shepherds, upon seeing this special Son,
returned to their sheep glorifying and praising God
for what they had heard and seenc Simeon and Anna
welcomed this child Jesus in the temple, and wise men
from the East fell down and worshipped Him and pre-
sented Him with costly gifts. All these gave testi-
mony to the greatness and the royalty of the one "born
King of the Jews" a

But this was not the beginning of Jesus, like your
birth was for you« Like so many other truths, the
eternal and divine character of our Saviour is ques-
tioned* Men — mortal men — argue and speculate over
whether Jesus was (is) divine, whether He existed be-
fore, what His status is in relation to the Father«
This is like arguing over whether the wood in the
shelf I see before me was ever a tree* In reality,
its main glory was a living, growing, beautiful tree
somewhere out in the forest It has been cut apart,
shaped, sawed and fastened together to form a stand
for my books «

God reveals through His Word the eternal character
of His only begotten Son* He was with the Father
"before the world "was". n All things were made by him|
and without him was not any thing made that was made*
In him was life; and the life was the light of men* 11
(John 1:3,4) His main existence was with the Father
in glory, creating and giving life to all we see*
His mission on earth, though of indescribable impor-
tance, was apparently a voluntary assignment to res-
cue us sinful men and spanned but a moment of time
compared to the vast extent of eternity and His pri-
mary position in glory*

THE PILGRIM

When Jesus was on earth, one of the foremost ques»
tions regarding Him was, "Who is He?" Their perplex-
ity was natural enough because, after all, nothing
like this had ever happened before, that God would be
"incarnate" or "manifest in the flesh" » They said,
"Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the
brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon?
and are not his sisters here with us? M (Mark 6:3) Even
His disciples were astonished time and again at His
miracles and His gracious wordso When they saw Kim
calm the storm on the Sea of Galilee they "o o mar-
veiled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even
the winds and the sea obey him!" (Matthew 8:2.7)

One time Jesus asked His disciples, "Whom do men
say that I the Son of man am?" The disciples an-
swered that some were saying John the Baptist, some,
Ellas; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets*
Then He asked them, "But whom say ye that I am?"
Simon Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the living God*" Jesus, approving, told Peter,
"Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood
hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which
is in heaven*" ^^'u-.h-jh

We must all come to this place c It may, seem
strange about believing and doubting D But there is
only one way to really believe, and that is to come
to this confession that Jesus is the Christ (or
Saviour) and to recognize His claim on us D On the
other hand, doubting may take many forms We may
rebel against the truth, work actively against it,
or go into sin and wrong. We may just say, "I don't
know what is true " We may believe a lie* Or we may
simply ignore the issueso The poet Isaac Watts writes,
"Sin has a thousand treacherous arts to practice on
the mind., . «," This is Satan's way: anything but
the trutho

Jesus 1 coming to earth still stands as the focal
point of history* It is said that the Egyptians dated
their years from the reign of an outstanding pharaoh
or any of a number of great eventSo Even after nearly

THE PILGRIM

200C years, we still date time from the greatest of
all events--the coming of Jesus into the world, which
includes the very purpose for which He came: to make
atonement for sin, conquer death, and destroy him that
had the power of death, that is, the devil*

I liked the thought in an article I read recently:
God is always on time Jesus came at just the right
timeo Galatians 4:4 says, "But when the fulness of
the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a
woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were
under the iaw ? that we might receive the adoption of
sonso 11

Pilate asked a question relevant to all of us:
"Khat shall I do then with Jesus which is called
Christ?" At this time when so many are celebrating
&nd feasting and in their own way calling attention
to' Jesus' birth, where do we stand? Can we whole-
heartedly, before all the world, stand up and be
counted among those who worship Him as King of Kings
and Lord of Lords? Will we, with* the angels, the
shepherds, the wise men, Simeon, ^nna, Peter, the
apostles and prophets and the faithful of all ages
confess Him to be the Christ, the Son of the living
God? ~ L.Cp

SCRIPTURAL UNITY

The apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:1-3 says, M I there-
fore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye
walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
With all lowliness and meekness, with ibng&ufxoring,
forbearing one another in love 5 Endeavoring to keep
*-k^ un ifcy of _the S pirit in the bond of peace c n

1 believe that all serious seekers for the truth
would agree that this unity is very important* Many
people in other walks of life would also stress the
importance of unity In fact, very little can be
accomplished by any group without unity of purpose P

The !, plain people'* clearly recognize the value and
need of unity, and there has been much effort in many

THE PILGRIM

different ways to achieve and maintain ito We need
not look far to see that the results are often dis-
appointing* Perhaps much of the reason is that we too
often promote the "spirit of unity" rather than the
"unity of the Spirits Put another way: perhaps we
too often promote the "unity of form 11 rather than
developing "unity of faith 11 *

I firmly believe in our manner, of dress and way of
life, but a person could dress and live this way and
yet receive very little benefit from it and, in fact,
be a hindrance rather than a help to the Lord's work*

If the reason I dress as I do or do not have cer-
tain things is because the brethren require it of me;
or because others would be disappointed if I didn : t|
or because we have always done this ways-- or because I
feel secure in it; then I am sure it will not receive
God 1 s approval o

In the Christian assembly the unity to strive for
and to encourage in each other is arrived at by sin-
cere brethren searching GodVs Word under the Spirit *s
control, desiring guidance for their lives and arriv-
ing at the same conclusion*

The Lord wants people who are separate from the
world because they know God's Word plainly teaches it:
people who wear a uniform garb because they are clear-
ly convinced that it is a valuable help in their
Christian walk

In the things we use, He does not, for instance,
want us to just deny ourselves of television* Rather,
He wants us to consider if it will help or hinder us
spiritually and, clearly recognizing it as a hindrance,
refuse to have it in our homes.- "Unity of form" can
keep television out of our homes, but it takes "unity
of faith" (sincere personal conviction) to keep it
out of our hearts,,

If you were in darkness, would you rather have a
bright light or a picture of a bright light? Perhaps
that is about the difference between the "unity of the
Spirit" and the "spirit of unity"

Let us walk worthy of our vocation, living our way

THE PILGRIU

of life in true faith. Then we will demonstrate the
"unity of the Spirit 11 : and truly be the light of the
world o

--James Beery

Nappanee, Indiana

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

When marshalled on the nightly plain,

The glittering hosts bestud the sky.
One Star alone in all that train

Can fix the sinner's wandering eye<>
Hark! hark to God! the chorus breaks

From every host, from every gems
But one alone the Saviour speaks;

It is the Star of Bethlehem*,

Once on the raging sea I rowed;

The wave was loud; the night was dark;
The ocean yawned and rudely b lowed

The wind that tossed my floundering barko
Deep horror there my vitals froze;

Death struck; I ceased the tide to stem,
When suddenly a star arose;

It was the Star of Bethlehem*

It was my life, my light, my all;

It bade my dark forbodings cease;
And through the storm and dangers thrall

It led me to the port of peace „
Nqw safely moored, my perils o*ar*

I'll sing first in night 1 2 diadem:
Forever, oh! forevermore!

The Star, .the Star of Bethleheml

-~Jo lo Cover

In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence ; and

his children shall have a place of refuge,

— Proverbs 14*26

THE PILGRIM

THE CHRISTIAN'S HOPE

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also
we have access by faith into this grace wherein we
stand, and rejoice in hope of the p-lory of" God* And
not only so, but we glory in tribulations als©: know-
ing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience,
experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not
ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us,"
( Romans 5 : 1-5 )

The glory of God is marvelous; it is powerful;, and
His Word is sharper than any two-edged sword. Only
through the glory of the one great and Almighty God,
are we able to have the hope of eternal life. This is
the only way we can glory in tribulation.

T;T h.en we look at these first five verses of Romans 5
we see a very remarkable thing; giving God the glory
when things do not go so well, or at least when we do
not think they dc, heads the list. We must be able to
glory in tribulation as the apostle Paul did when he
was put into prison. It takes tribulation to work
patience. It is very important to have patience. The
Question may be asked, "Patience in what?" I firmly
believe patience is a virtue, a gift that is given to
us by God through the w ord of God and the study of the
Ford. T ' T e want to look at a reference found in Romans
15:4:

"For whatsoever things were written afore-
time were written for our learning, that we
through patience* and comfort ef the Scriptures
might have hope."

In everyday language we might Interpret this verse
as saying: when the devil comes to us with trials and
temptations, and tries to discourage us in our Christian
walk of life, and we through faith turn to the Scrip-
tures, we will find something that will be able to

THE PILGRIM

carry us through. It will give us a new hope and a
new reason to praise God.

Then next we see that patience worketh experience
and experience, hope. Now if the next verse is true,
and I know it is, hope maketh not ashamed. Why -do we
so many times refrain from telling others about the
love of God that is shed abroad in our hearts by the
Holy Ghost?

A person that has been sentenced to death and has
received a pardon, is net ashamed to let others know
that he 'has been pardoned and by whom he was pardoned.
How much more ought we as Christians tell others of
the miracle that has taken place in our lives. We
were all sentenced to death, but Christ took our place
and died in our stead, (Read Romans 5*)

Let us praise the Lord that He did not remain in
the grave, but that He lives again in glory and in.
our own hearts and lives. He lives that we might be
able to have life and have it more abundantly. After
His resurrection and before the time He ascended into
Heaven to be on the right hand of the Father inter-
ceding for us, He promised that He would send the.
Comforter to be with us, to lead, and to direct our
every thought and step in this life. Mould this have
been possible if He would have then set up a kingdom
on earth as the Jews thought and still think today?

The question may be asked at this point: What
is hope? If we would go to the dictionary for a
definition, we might find something like this: Hope
is an expectation, 'coupled with a desire, longing to
receive something. Hope is like a mainspring in a
watch. This spring- Is what keeps the watch running,
but It needs to be wound once in a while, or it cannot
do its work. So faith and the study of the Word of
God are equivalent to the winding of the mainspring.
Thus, we will conclude that hope is what spurs the
child of the King forward to higher ground.

Let us turn to Titus 2:13-14 and see what the
Christian has to hope for that the world does not
want to come to pass:

THE PILGRIM

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the
glorious appearing of the great God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for
us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,
and purify unto himself a peculiar people,
zealous of good works."

This alone should be enough to cause each one read-
ing this to call upon God as his own Savior and Master.

The Apostle Paul was not afraid to tell the good
news anywhere he went. In Acts 26 we see that Paul
told King Agrippa that the reason he was in bonds was
because he was preaching the things their forefathers
were promised, and for which they served God day and
night. This was the hope of the Old Testament saints*
If we look into the Old Testament, we see that they
looked forward with hope by faith* Now in the new
dispensation, we look back by faith at what Christ has
done on Calvary, as well as forward with hope by faith
to what He is going to do some time in the very near
future .

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and
it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but
we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be
like him: for we shall see him as he is* And
every man that hath this hope in him purifieth
himself, even as he is pure." (I John 3:2,3)

May this be our aim and desire — to be pure even as
Christ is pure.

By .Clayton Eveleth Selected from
The Pearl of Great Price

BIRTHS

W-LKSR - A son, Jacob Lee, born November 24 to David
and Carrie Walker of ICaterford, California.

BAKER - A daughter, Rebecca Lois, born November 28 to
Paul and Mary Baker of Maple, Ontario, Canada.

10 THE PILGRIM

i understand:

Hast thou been hungry, child of mine?

I, too have needed bread;
For forty days I tasted naught

Till by the angels fed.
Hast thou been thirsty? On the cross

I suffered thirst for thee;
I've promised to supply thy need,

My child, come unto me.

Perhaps thy way is weary oft,

Thy feet grow tired and lame;
I wearied when I reached the well,

I suffered just the same;
And when I be re the heavy cross

I fainted T neath the load;
And so I r ve promised rest to all

Who walk the weary road.

Loth Satan sometimes buffet thee

And tempt thy soul to win?
Do faith and hope and love grow weak?

Are doubts and fears within?
Remember I was tempted thrice

By this same foe of thine;
But he could not resist the Word

Nor conquer power divine.

Mien thou art sad and tears fall fast

My heart goes out to thee,
For I wept o'er Jerusalem,

The placfe so dear to me;
And when I came to Lazarus' tomb

I wept — my heart was sore;
I'll comfort thee when thou dost weep,

Till sorrows all are o'er*

Do hearts prove false when thine is true?
I know the bitter dart;

THE PILGRIM 11

I was betrayed by one I loved

Who lay close to my heart .
I loved my own; they loved me not,

My heart was lonely too;
I'll never leave thee, child of mine,

My loving heart is true.

Have courage then, my faithful one;

I suffered all the way;
Thy sensitive and loving heart

I understand today;
Whate'er thy grief, whate T er thy care,

Just bring it unto me;
Yea, in thy day of trouble, call,

I will deliver thee.

By Susanne C. Umlawf

Selected by Eva R. Landes

1310 W.. Granger Ave.
Modesto, Calif. 95350
Room 6

MEDITATIONS

RFLSGTION

l! But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass
the giory of the Lord, are changed into the same image
from ^lory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the
Lord. (II Corinthians 3:18)

The mind is a marvelous creation, being able to
make a mental picture br the Spirit, of things we see
and hear or read. ..Jesus used this means to teach by
parables. The Word of God is an inexhaustible supply
to study and meditate day or night when a person is
not sleepy. In fact, the silent time of night has
often less distraction than day if we have no severe
pain.

— Ernest Wagner

Mode sto , California

1 ? THE PILGRIM

HISTORICAL

HISTORY OF THE BIBLE

DANIEL

This book of Daniel is probably one of the best
known and most loved of all the Old Testament proph-
ecies « Even most children know the vivid accounts of
Daniel in the lion's den and of Shadrach, Ueshach,
and Abed-nego in the fiery furnace „ But besides these
examples of courage, Daniel tells of many events far
in the future from his time* He predicted accurately,
by revelation, the time of the coming of the Messiah*
He even tells of the future resurrection and the
judgment before God, the Ancient of days"* Daniel's
prayer of confession and intercession for his people
is recorded in chapter S, and it is on this occasion
that God revealed the time of the coming of Christo

Daniel's prophecy was written in Babylon while the
Jews were captives there from 606-536 BoCc

About the man Daniel, Henry Ho Hal ley in his Bible
Handbook writes*

i; Daniel was in the first group of captives taken
from Jerusalem to Babylon (606 B Cc) c He was of royal
bloodo Josephus says that Daniel and his three
friends were kin to King Zedekiaho That gave them
easier entree to the palace of Babylon (They were)
handsome, brilliant young men, who were under the
special care of God, and trained of Him to bear wit-
ness to His name in the heathen court that then ruled
the world* « • Daniel's meteoric rise to world-wide
fame is indicated in Ezekiel 14*14,20$ 28;3, written
only 15 years later, while Daniel was still a very
young man e Uhat a remarkable man! Absolutely un-
swerving in his own religious convictions, yet so
loyal to his idolatrous king that he was trusted with
the affairs of the Empirec"

About the Babylonian Empire and King Nebuchadnezzar,
Halley writesi

"In Daniel's day, the city of Babylon not only was

THE PILGIUM 13

the premier city of the pre-Christian world, but it
ruled the most powerful empire that had up, to that
time existedc The Empire lasted 70 years* Daniel
was there from its rise to its fall* ,

"The kings under whom Daniel lived, were.: Nabopo-
lassar (525-604 B.C )$ Nebuchadnezzar' (606-561 BoCo)$
Evii-Ilerodach (561-560 B.O5 Neriglissar (559-556
B.C.); Labash-Harduk (556 B*C<,)$ Nabonidas (555-536
BoCo); and his son Belshazzar*. , - , ".

"Daniel's life in Babylon, thus., extended from the
first year of Nebuchadnezzar, through the reigns' of
che succeeding five kings, past the fall of Babylon,
into the Persian Empire, through the reign of Darius
the llede, even unto the third year of. Cyrus the
Persian (10:1); in all, from 606 B C to 534 B.C,,
72 years, from the first year of the Jews' captivity
till 2 years after the return from the captivity--
God's witness in the palace of the empire that ruled
the worldo"

Halley further writes: "The language of the book
is Aramaic, or Chaldee, from 2:4 to 7s 28, which was
the commercial and diplomatic, -'language of the time
The rest is in Hebrew© This is what might be expected
in a book written for Jews living among Babylonians,
containing copies of . official. Babylonian documents in
their original Babylonian language?" ~ JL.C?

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

This selected article appeared in the June, 1883
Vind i cator , What was being printed and read a century
ago is still valuable for our contemplation today*

""Low o

THE THREE WISHES

I asked a student what three things he most de-
sired*, He saids "Give me books, health, and quiet,
and I care for nothing more*"

I' asked a miser and he cried, "Money, money, money*"
I asked a pauper, and he faintly said, "Bread,

14 THE PILGRIM

bread, bread* 11

I asked a drunkard, and he loudly called for strong
drinko

I asked the multitude around me, and they lifted
up a confused cry in which I heard the words, "Wealth,
fame, and pleasure *"

I asked a poor man who had long borne the character
of an experienced Christian., He replied that all his
wants could be met in Christ* He spoke seriously and
I asked him to explain* He said;

,r I greatly desire these three things* First, that
I may be found in Christy secondly, that I may be like
Christ; thirdly, that I may be xvith Christo" I have
thought much of his answer? and the more I think of
it the wiser it seems to be„

Selected by John Schonwald

THERE'S A SONG IN THE AIR

There T s a song in the air I There's a star In the skyl
.There's a mother's deep prayer and a baby's low cry I
And the star rains its. fire while the beairtiful sing,
For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King I

There's a tumult of joy o'er the wonderful birth,
For the virgin's sweet boy is the Lord of the earth.
Aye I the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King I

In the light of that star lie the ages impearled;
And that song from afar has swept over the world.
Every hearth is aflame, and the beautiful sing
In the homes of the nations that Jesus is King!

We rejoice in the light, and we echo the song

That comes down through the night from the heavenly

throng.
Aye I we shout to the lovely evangel they bring,
And we greet in His cradle our Saviour and King I

— Josiah Cr. Holland

THE PILGRIli 15

THE STAR OF CHRIST

Wise men to Jesus came,
Seeking the King of Jewish fame|
To honor Him they travelled far,
For they did see His holy Star!

"The newborn King, Oh where is He,
Whose glorious Star we there did see?
To worship Him now here we are,
For in the East we saw His Star!"

The Star again appeared to them
And went before to Bethlehem;
There they fell down to the Saviour
And rich gifts gave to Jacob's Star!

A brilliant Star announced Christ's birth;
A spotless life pronounced His worth;
On Calvary's Cross He died with scars;
He ever lives above the stars!

Jesus is the heavenly King
Of light and life, the world's dayspring;
Christ speaks with might from heaven's bar,
"I am the bright and morning Star!"

If we worship Jesus our King,

Rich gifts of love unto Him bring;

In God's kingdom with Christ we'll dine,

Forever as bright stars to shine!

CHORUS:

Oh do you see that holy Star
The wise men saw and followed far?
Open your eyes; like them be wise,
Till in your heart the Daystar rise!

-Hollis Flora

"... There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a
Sceptre shall rise out of Israel... 11 (Numbers 24:17)

16 CHILDREN'S PAGE

"Lessons from Nature" Series

THE EXTRAORDINARY EGG

It starts as a single cell. Still inside the body
of the mother; bird, it begins to grow in size and com-
plexity until its many amazing layers of yolk, albumen,
membrane arid shell have formed a simple but astonish-
ing egg. The yolk itself has six rings, each having a
white and a yellow layer* The yellow is made during
the day j and the white between midnight and daybreak,
while the parent bird is probably sleep ing

Next comes the albumen, or the white of the egg.
Its first layer is thin* Its second is tough and
elastic to protect the life in the egg during its
tumbles in the nest. The third layer, a thin watery
liquid, is then forced through the second layer up
against the yellow yolk, and the yolk floats in it n

Next the two tough shell membranes are formed,
which takes slightly more than an hour Q And finally,
in the next nineteen hours, the outer shell is formed
in four porous layers. The shell receives its colors
during the last hours. Most of the 9000 different
bird species have identifying marks on their eggsl

And the facts you have been reading are only a
crude outline of the amazing egg story. How wonderful
indeed is the wisdom of God which can change dead
chemicals into growing, breathing life! For soon after
the egg is laid, the miracle continues with incubation,
hatching, and finally a new creation—the baby bird.

Do these twenty-one layers of life "just happen"?
Or is there a wonderful Designer—a God Who easily
understands such commonplace miracles?

The answer is obvious to all. --Stanley K. Brubaker

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